Women journalists in the country have been urged to always put their issues on the front burner and amplify their voices by way of advocacy and sensitization.
The Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, made the call at a training on the theme : “Tobacco Taxation and Gender Bias,” for members of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ Kano.
The essence of the training was to acqint women journalists with the understanding of Tobacco taxation concepts and the effects of gender bias.
Rafsanjani explained that, the importance of mainstreaming gender in policy formulation and Implementation cannot be overlooked especially in societies where gender disparities are still wide.
He hinted that, women journalists have a role to play by demanding inclusivity in tax policies in Nigeria.
Rafsanjani hinted that, over the years, CISLAC has been implementing a project on tobacco tax advocacy in Nigeria, saying that the partnership with NAWOJ would yield positive results.
“Tobacco smoking is rampant among young men and women, hard drugs and other dangerous substances are mixed with shisha and consumed on daily basis”
“We believe the partnership with women journalists will pave way for more awareness of the menace of tobacco smoking “
In his presentation titled Health Consequences of Tobacco Use, a consultant, Murtala Muhammad, maintained that smoking tobacco causes exposure to a lethal mixture of more than 7,000 toxic chemicals that can damage every organ in the human body.
He said smoking is influenced by a combination of personal, social, economic and environmental factors that require multilayered and effective intervention.
In his paper titled gender bias in Tobacco Tax Policy Formulation, another consultant, Solomon Adoga, pointed out that research indicates that there’s an increasing threat of the burden of tobacco consumption to girls and women’s health in low and middle-income countries.
He noted that women are exposed to more tobacco-induced diseases than men, such as breast and cervical cancer as well as maternal exposures.
The chairperson, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists NAWOJ Kano State Chapter, Comrade Bahijja Malam Kabara, promised to step down the training to others.
She hinted that female journalists in Kano will use their various platforms to advocate gender integration into the tobacco tax policy formulation and implementation.
The event tagged: Training workshop on tobacco Taxation and Gender Mainstreaming was graced by selected female journalists from broadcast, print and new media
