Women Journalist: NAWOJ Signs MOU With Wikimedia User Group On Advancement
NAWOJ Lagos Chapter Signs MOU With Wikimedia User Group On Advancement Of Women Journalist
Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, Lagos State Chapter has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Wikimedia User Group Nigeria (WUGN).
The event which took place on Tuesday, 13th February 2024 at Ladi Lawal Press Center, Iyalla, Alausa, Lagos signifies a significant milestone in the advancement of women in journalism and technology within Nigeria.
This collaboration seeks to provide training and capacity-building opportunities for NAWOJ Lagos members, empowering them with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their field.
Speaking at the event, Mr Olushola Olaniyan, President Wikimedia User Nigeria Group, said that International Women’s Day (IWD) usually marks a significant global event dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements and advocating for gender equality.
Olaniyan said that since its inception in March 1911, IWD has catalysed collective global activism and celebration, bringing together individuals committed to advancing women’s rights and equality.
Speaking further, Olaniyan said that the 2024 International Women’s Day celebration with the theme “Inspire Inclusion” is aimed at forging a more inclusive world for women by inspiring understanding and appreciation for their inclusion.
“The focus was on creating a global platform where women feel a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment. The primary objective of the 2024 IWD event was to organise events for the celebration of women’s inclusion and achievements in their chosen fields. The event was also to echo the success of women who have excelled in various fields and use their experiences to encourage and inspire other women” He concluded.
Also speaking at the event, Dr Adeola Ekine, Lagos NAWOJ chairperson said that the partnership signifies a significant milestone in the advancement of women in journalism and technology within Nigeria.
Ekine said that the collaboration was aimed at training and capacity-building opportunities for NAWOJ Lagos members, through empowerment with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their field of endeavour.
“Through this MoU, NAWOJ Lagos and WUGN will jointly organise workshops, seminars, and training sessions focused on enhancing the digital literacy and technical skills of female journalists in Lagos State.
“These initiatives aim to equip NAWOJ Lagos members with the tools and resources needed to thrive in the rapidly evolving media landscape”.
Additionally, the collaboration between NAWOJ Lagos and WUGN will extend to the planning and execution of the International Women’s Day celebration in 2024, as both organizations are committed to organizing series of events and activities that highlight the achievements and contributions of women in journalism, technology, and other fields.
The celebration will be conducted in a hybrid format to encourage the participation of interested women who are not based in Lagos to join us and it will consist of three main categories:
Wiki Gap Symposium: The symposium will happen on the 8th of March to commemorate the day with other women across the globe. The event will serve as a platform where all Nigerian women from all walks of life come together to resonate their voices on the theme for the year and how it affects them.
Capacity Development: There are many reports on the systemic bias against women on the Internet. Some of these biases persist even in Wikipedia, the world’s largest encyclopedia.
To correct these positions and many others, we plan a 2-day thematic training session to empower Nigerian journalists with digital literacy to contribute to Wikipedia through evidence writing and a Neutral point of view. The training session will take place from 12th-13th of March 2024.
Writing Contest(Edit-a-thon): A multilingual contest (Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, and English) will encourage participants to improve and create new Wikipedia profiles about Nigerian women online using Wikipedia.
The contest will extend for two weeks, fostering the inclusion of Nigerian women on the Internet. The contest will run from 14th- 31st of March 2024.
Present at the event are: Kayode Yussuf; co-founder, Olushola Olaniyan; President & Chairman of Board, Omolayo Ogunsiji; Executive Director, Ayokanmi Oyeyemi; Project Manager, Dr Adeola Ekine; Lagos NAWOJ chairperson among others.
