A one-day workshop on dissemination of provision of convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW) for journalists in Delta state has held in Warri on Friday.

The programme which was put together by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Delta state Ministry of Economic Planning, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development drew participants, mostly female media practitioners from the print and electronic media.

In her opening remark, the Commissioner for Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, Mrs. Betty Efekodha urged participants to take the program very serious so as to become part of the change agents that will bring gender equality to roost in Nigeria.

The Commissioner, who was represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Alice Akpoghene however lauded recent government efforts at all levels to entrench the 35 percent affirmative action to Nigerian women.

Also in a keynote address by the Program Director, UNFPA initiated programme, Mr. Brodrick Opuofeni noted that the workshop is aimed at enhancing journalists’ roles in their domains and ensure that they acquire the necessary skills to take on gender equality issues in their respective professional endeavours. He was represented by the Programme Director of Gender Equality, Mrs. Faith Okpoghoro.

A gender advocate and facilitator, Dr. Jewo Ibi while speaking on Gender Based Violence said it is often times directed at an individual based on his or her biological sex, gender identity, perceived adherence to socially defined norms of masculinity and feminity.

While asserting that women and girls are the most at risk and most affected by gender based violence, she listed types of gender based violence to include sex trafficking and forces labour, sexual coercion and abuse, neglect, domestic violence, female inventories, child sexual abuse, elder abuse as well as harmful traditional practices such as early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

Earlier, Chairman of Delta state Council, Comrade Norbert Chiazor urged media practitioners to improve on their roles in setting agenda for meaningful discourse, tasked journalists to sustain their public enlightenment campaigns in the interest of gender equality.