By: Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto.

Female journalists in Sokoto State have pledged to use their media platforms to combat gender-based violence (GBV), following a capacity-building workshop organized by the Gender Educators Initiative with support from the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund.

The training, which focused on ethical and impactful GBV reporting, empowered participants to amplify survivors’ voices, highlight GBV-related issues, and advocate for policy reforms.

Veteran journalist Sani Umar emphasized the media’s critical role in shaping public perception and driving social change.
“Journalists have a responsibility to report on GBV in ways that uphold justice and empower survivors,” he said.

The Executive Director of Gender Educators Initiative, Shafa’atu Suleiman, explained that the workshop was designed to enhance the capacity of female journalists to report gender-based violence cases accurately, sensitively, and ethically.

Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Sokoto State Council, Usman Muhammad Binji, stressed the media’s responsibility in challenging harmful gender norms and promoting empathy toward survivors.

The Special Assistant to the Governor on Strategic Communication, Nura Muhammad Mahe, and other guests echoed the need for a collaborative approach to ending GBV, involving government, civil society, and the media.

Similarly, the General Manager of ALU TV, Bashar Abubakar, urged journalists to always adhere to professional ethics and standards in their reportage.

The workshop featured lectures by experts on ethical reporting, story pitching, and storytelling techniques in GBV coverage.

Participants expressed commitment to applying the knowledge gained to support survivors and advocate for a more just and gender-sensitive society in Sokoto State.

According to the organizers, the initiative is part of ongoing efforts to address the high prevalence of GBV in the state, where one in three women experiences violence in her lifetime. The training aims to promote empathy, challenge stereotypes, and encourage accurate, survivor-centered reporting across media platforms.