By Chibuike Nwabuko
The new FCT FIDA chairperson, Barr. Chioma Onyenucheya-Ukoh has called for collaboration with the media to protect the rights of women and children. The chairperson made the call at a media parley in Abuja on Saturday, attended by some members of her executives and journalists drawn from different media houses.
Lamenting the incessant cases of defilement of minors as well as other forms of violence against women and girls, she re-stated FIDA’s commitment to defending women and children against all forms of injustice at no cost (pro bono).
While stressing the pivotal role the media plays in creating awareness about societal ills that need to be addressed as well as acting as a bridge between FIDA and Survivors as well as victims, she appealed to the media for continued partnership and support in the fight to end violence against women and girls.
According to her, “top of our things to do, which is why we are having their parley this afternoon, is that with the work we do, with the demographic we serve, the people who we serve in our mandate as FIDA, it is impossible to effectively do that work, if we have everybody signed on and we don’t have the media to do that with us because part of the challenge we have is that there is poor enlightenment on even the issues. It is obvious that a lot of people don’t even understand the provisions of the law, particularly as it affects women and children. So sometimes, infractions are because of ignorance which unfortunately the law doesn’t permit as an excuse. So as part of helping to enlighten the people as to what legal provisions on subjects of children and women, we need you – the press.
“Then to also give visibility to the work we do, because at the risk of sounding immodest, FIDA Nigeria has done a lot and keeps doing a lot and I speak particularly about FIDA Abuja branch. There have been a lot of activities over the years. FIDA Abuja would be 35 next year and in all this time, it has been a lot of work consistently and if all this work is done without the necessary visibility, people may not realise where they can go to when they are in need of such services as we render.
Onyenucheya-Ukoh further stated that part of the reason for the media parley is essentially to remind media practitioners “of what objectives of FIDA are and what we do and to share with you our desires as to how we think you can come in to help us ensure that we all enjoy fairly better society because the quality of attention that women and children rights and welfare we enjoy by the hopeful partnership that will arise from this parley.”
She highlighted that women and children face all forms of harmful, degrading, discriminatory practices daily and many times, these are people who may not be able to afford the services of lawyers.
“We realized that this is part of giving back to the society and as women who have been called to the practice of law in Nigeria, we can at least come together – this is what FIDA does. This is our own platform of giving back to the society; to lend our speciality, and our professional knowledge to serving women and children who would otherwise do not have a voice,” she said.
The FIDA FCT Chairperson who acknowledged and appreciated that the media is doing enough, added that “if in all we do, we do it in silos, we won’t be able to achieve the society that we want.”
She, therefore, charged the media to target their reporting in a way that it would achieve the desired outcome “such that whether we are targeting the general society by way of information or we are targetting policymakers or political leaders or leaders of thoughts – whether they are traditional or religious leaders, for media to formulate strategies that can help to ensure that the issues are reported or projected in the right manner that will elicit the desirable reactions.”
FIDA Abuja Chair further appealed to the media to be more sensitive in reporting gender-related stories, particularly as it affect women and girls.
Urging journalists to give accurate visibility to reports that will bring the right result, she noted that sometimes stories that do not portray the right legal position or draw focus on what the real legal issues should be are seen in the public space thereby inadvertently supporting the inaccurate narratives.
Mrs Onyenucheya-Ukoh assured that FIDA is available to give every legal opinion/ guidance that will help in sensitive reporting even in the choice of words.
On proactive and prompt communication update on FIDA, the FCT Chairperson said; “Chioma Onyenucheya–Ukoh has never refrained from responding to any call to lend the voice on any subject within FIDA thematic point, it has never happened and I don’t discriminate against platforms even if it is a one-person audience.
“I would be ready to address what needs to be.be addressed. So, if you have had any challenges in the past as to being able to access resources or authorities or as to speed for immediate response, that can’t happen again – FIDA has a rich reserve of resources and I speak responsibly and sincerely. Even if I am not going to be personally available, there are many people who are able and willing to and I can guarantee you, I will get you such people for any time I am not able to do it personally”.
