In an effort to advocate for positive reportage on issues relating to People With Disabilities (PWSs), Stallion Times media has engaged journalists in Kano on the reporting PWDs to enhance their inclusion in policies and forestall negative representation of special needs people in the media and society.
About 15% of the world’s population, experience some form of disability, with disability prevalence being higher in developing countries. Thus, a world bank report shows that persons with disabilities (PWDs) are more likely to experience adverse socioeconomic outcomes such as less education, poorer health outcomes, lower levels of employment, and higher poverty rates.
Among the Sustainable Development Goals of 2030, is the attainment of equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous people, the vulnerable, amongst others.
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CEO and editor-in-chief of stallion Times, Mr Isyaku Ahmed stated that common and negative stereotypes towards persons with disabilities which have penetrated the public, the media, and the governance eco-system in Kano and other states of Nigeria necessitated the training for journalists.
He is certain that through the training, reportage on issues in PWDs would provoke positive action that would amplify and make good issues of disability in Kano state and Nigeria through feature stories and investigative reports. “ We want to prompt government and stakeholders’ action for improved service delivery towards PWDs in Kano.” Mr Isyaku Said.
Meanwhile, a senior lecturer at Bayero University Kano, Dr Mainasara Kurfi pointed out that the media under reports issues regarding PWDs in the state, noting that reporting on people with special needs will bring out their issues to light and push for action by stakeholders. “There are numerous storylines on PWDs which the media can focus on.
“I urge the journalists to promote PWD reporting to ensure that in the budgeting process, the government can heighten the allocation of funds for PWDs in Kano and in doing so, special needs people can meaningfully contribute to the development of the society.” Dr Kurfi reiterated.
In the same vein, the chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Kano Comr. Abbas Ibrahim said that oftentimes, journalists stigmatize PWDs unknowingly in their reports and this is evident in the names they refer to PWDs which are demeaning, urging the media in Kano to be sensitive towards reporting issues regarding PWDs.
Abdulrazack Zango, a visually impaired who is the secretary-general of the Nigerian Association of the Blind, Kano state chapter, expressed his dismay at the insensitivity in the manner certain reportage stigmatize PWDs and he is elated that the media have been engaged in ways to report on issues regarding PWDs in Kano. He is hopeful that “more PWD reportage which advocates for the establishment of a commission for PWDs in Kano will take course.”
The training is under the Participatory Governance and Media Literacy project “Get Involved, Dialogue and Improve (G-DRIP) being implemented by Stallion Times Media Service, is in collaboration with the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative with support from the MacArthur Foundation.
It is expected that following this training, issues-focused reporting on disability to gain prominence in the mainstream media would be promoted, thus driving an influence on national action towards PWDs to reshape the public image and improve the living condition of persons with disabilities through research and proper reporting of critical issues that affect the day-to-day living of disable people in the society.
