Journalists tasked on addressing environmental issues, building solidarity

Nigerian journalists have been tasked on raising awareness on environmental issues through their reports, provide solutions therein and ensure to highlight the responsibility of the government in safeguarding the environment.

Also, they were called on to build solidarity with one another and see injustice against one as injustice against all, in order to put an end to all forms of harassments and injustice against them.

The government was likewise reminded of its responsibility of guaranteeing an environment where journalists can operate freely and be safe, as it was noted that there were no significant examples relating to the prosecution cases of journalists’ harassments.

These were part of the calls made by the Executive Director Media Rights Agenda, Mr. Edeaton Ojo, the keynote speaker at the Press Freedom Day Symposium, with the theme: ‘A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis’, organised by Human Rights Journalists Network Nigeria (HRJN) in collaboration with UNESCO Nigeria, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC).

Ojo who noted that the media has the responsibility to report environment, suggested that journalists can translate scientific findings to layman’s terms, let people know importance of legislations and amplify voices of environmental experts/groups by providing their platforms for environmental experts/groups to speak.

To do investigative reports that will promote citizens’ right to clean environment and to embrace solution journalism by sharing environmental related ideas that will be replicated in communities.

Also, he urged journalists to engage multimedia including infographics, podcasts etc, so as to reach several segments of the society. As he stated:”In the society people have different information habit, so there is no single way to reach people.”

Ojo further called on journalists to partner with research institutions, nongovernmental organisations and other relevant bodies in order to gain ready access to data/resources that will enrich their stories for more impacts.

The symposium also featured insightful discussions led by Executive Director of HRJN, Kehinde Adeboyega; Development Advocate, Shakirudeen Bankole; Vice-Chairperson of Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) Lagos State Chapter, Bunmi Yekini and Robert Egbe, Media and Communication Officer, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa(CAPPA).