Media Group Urges Protection Of Free Expression

A group, Media Rights Agenda (MRA), has called connected Nigerian governments to rededicate themselves to strengthening antiauthoritarian institutions arsenic the satellite marks International Democracy Day.

The radical urged the authorities to safeguard civic space, support escaped look and guarantee the escaped travel of accusation arsenic indispensable pillars of democracy.

Noting that this year’s theme, “Achieving Gender Equality, Action by Action,” is peculiarly applicable for Nigeria, wherever determination has been a scandalous marginalisation of women successful governance astatine each levels.
MRA stressed that sex equality is simply a quality close and a cardinal request for a resilient and inclusive democracy.

In November 2007, the United Nations General Assembly acceptable September 15 of each twelvemonth arsenic the International Day of Democracy and invited each UN subordinate states, organisations of the UN system, determination and intergovernmental organisations, non-governmental organisations and individuals to people the time to lend to raising nationalist awareness.

In a connection issued to people the 18th day of the event, MRA’s programme officer, Mr. John Gbadamosi, said, “As we people this year’s International Democracy Day, we privation to punctual our leaders astatine each levels of authorities that ideology is much than elections; it is astir creating an unfastened nine wherever transparency and accountability, adjacent participation, and quality rights are guaranteed.

“Democracy thrives erstwhile each citizens, women and men, tin enactment arsenic successful shaping their societies.

“Unfortunately, Nigerian women proceed to look disproportionate barriers successful politics, governance, and the media, among different sectors. Structural inequalities, gender-based violence, online harassment, and under-representation successful decision-making processes undermine some women’s rights and the prime of Nigeria’s democracy. Achieving sex equality, measurement by measurement and enactment by action, is cardinal to gathering the open, and accountable Nigeria we each desire,” helium said.