Victor EzejaThe International Organisation for Migration and other Civil Society Organisations focusing on the rights of the girl child have called on the media to step up efforts in framing narratives around migration issues as the number of women migrating to Western countries through irregular means has risen in the last few years.
The call was made during a media training organized by Girls Inspired Development Network (GIDN) with support of The Migrant Project on the theme, ‘Strengthening Women’s Voices in Migration Decision Making.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelDuring the event held on Wednesday at Protea Hotel in Lagos, the organisers emphasised the critical role of the media, stemming from the fact that many who embark on migration lack proper information on the process and procedures thereby exposing themselves to exploitation among other dangers.
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Speaking on the topic, ‘The Role of the Media in Amplifying Women’s Migration Decision: A Panacea to Strengthen Women’s Agency’, Cheptepkeny Cyprine, Awareness raising Programme Officer, International Organisation for Migration (IOM), admonished media professionals to uphold media ethics by promoting inclusive, balanced news coverage, and use language devoid of stigma in telling stories about migration.
Cheptepkeny called on journalists to key into the objective of amplifying the voices of women in migration decision-making by among other things, advocating policy changes, and creating platforms for women migrants to share their concerns.
Speaking on efforts so far in helping to save irregular migrants, Cheptepkeny disclosed that IOM and the Nigerian government have collaborated in assisting not less than 34,694 stranded Nigerian migrants to return home from April 2017 till date.
Giving a breakdown, she said that out of the 34,694 assisted voluntary returnees, 19,579 were male and 15,115 were female.
She said that out of the figure, 28,204 survivors were reintegrated, among which 16, 264 were men, and 11,940 were women.
According to her, the returnees were evacuated from different countries, including Ghana, Germany, the Netherlands, Morocco, Mali, and Libya.
While noting that reintegration is a primary focus of IOM Nigeria’s assistance program for migrants who wish to reunite with their families, Cheptepkeny said the returnees were given in-kind support for their reintegration, such as training and vocational education to help empower them to begin generating income to take care of their needs.
She further stated that data has revealed a change in migration patterns as women have increasingly migrated in the past few years.
Also speaking at the event, the Head, Migration Resource Centre, Mrs Maureen Ovie, highlighted the fact that a lot of women expose themselves to exploitation and other hazards due to inadequate knowledge of the rules and process of migration.
While noting that the present trend of migration, as revealed by data, points to a further increase in the number of women migrating, Ovie said the government through appropriate agencies plays a crucial in raising public knowledge of regular migration, gender-responsive environments, counseling, and training programs that increase employment.
Ovie, who spoke on the topic, Empowering Women: Catalysts for Inclusive Migration Policies’, also pointed out that recent studies revealed that quacks hide under the guise of recruitment to engage in human trafficking, but the government ensures fair recruitment practices and engage in monitoring of private recruitment agencies.
On her part, Head of Migration (Southwest), National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Ms. Ijeoma Ifeobu, reechoed the critical role of the media in migration issues.
She said the federal government through various agencies has been creating awareness aimed at reducing irregular migration.
Executive Director GIDN, Mrs. Rita Folawewo, highlighted the objective of the workshop which was to strengthen the capacity of journalists to set the right agenda that would help in improving the documentation of women’s stories for justice and human rights.
Ms Enitan Ibironke, a lawyer and migration counsellor, stated that many people undertake life-threatening risks while making attempts to migrate to Europe through irregular means.
Ibironke urged the media to devise innovative ways of using digital tools, and resources to create compelling content disseminated on various platforms to tell impactful stories to assist women make informed decisions on migration matters.
She also advised media professionals not to always provide the positive side of a migrant’s story and not just focusing on the negative regarding their challenges.
According to her, such negative stories focusing on a migrant’s predicaments could end up causing them more trauma.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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