By Edward Williams
Sogakope (V/R), Sept. 19, GNA – Ms Melody M. Darkey, National Programmes Coordinator, Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) Ghana, has called on journalists to avoid reports or contents that would reinforce gender stereotypes into the society.
She said journalists helped shape people’s thoughts and values in society as well as set the agenda for public discourse.
Ms Darkey in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) during a four-day training programme for close to 50 journalists of GNA in Sogakope, said it was important that contents and articles journalists produced were inclusive and do not end up reinforcing gender stereotypes.
She said journalists should use their platforms to raise awareness on gender issues as well as go behind the scenes to look at gender dimensions of issues.
Madam Darkey said they should also try to get to understand the point of views of women and other vulnerable groups in society as far as issues or topics of discussion were concerned.
She said journalists must use their platforms to hold government accountable to commitment that the country had made in terms of gender equality since journalists played the watchdog role.
“So, it is important that we use our platforms in a way that we report on issues in a fair manner so that we are fair in terms of how we portray or represent women, men and other people that are vulnerable or marginalised in society and not feed into the stereotypes”.
The training forms part of the Post-COVID-19 Skills Development and Productivity Enhancement Project (PSDPEP) which strategically aimed at empowering journalists at the Agency (GNA) with the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively communicate vital information in the post-pandemic era.
It is also designed to empower participants to effectively advocate for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), public health, gender, and climate change related issues to facilitate Ghana’s economic recovery.
Dr Martin Thompson Ntem, Digital Media Specialist, IDMC Ghana, urged journalists to highlight Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) that stepped up during crisis such as the Covid-19 and other natural disasters by providing essential goods, services, or support to their communities.
He said MSMEs were not just economic entities but community heroes because their roles in crisis response underscored the importance of supporting them in both good and bad times.
Dr Ntem said journalists could explore how the businesses adapted to meet community needs and the lasting impact of their contributions.
The training is funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) through the Social Investment Fund (SIF) and being implemented by the Institute for Digital Marketing and Communication Ghana (IDMC) Ghana.
GNA