Endangered Voices: Nigerian Journalists' Safety amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
Alade Moyosore Omowonuola
,
and
Sanusi Bernice Oluwalanu
UNESCO is the lead UN Agency for promoting freedom of expression and safety of journalists as part of its mandate to “promote the free flow of ideas by word and image”.
Alade Moyosore Omowonuola
Dr. and Lecturer/Researcher at Redeemer's University , Nigeria
Journalism studies Peace journalism Journalists' safety Freedom of Expression Ethical challenges War Journalism
My research includes but is not limited to the intersection between the media, war/conflict and peacebuilding, and journalistic practices in localized contexts with particular reference to African countries, especially Nigeria. From a practitioner’s perspective, I am specifically interested in understanding the nature of threats to journalists’ safety, the changing dynamics of these threats, journalists’ responses to them and how they affect journalistic practices and journalists in localized contexts. Hence, I have researched the changing dynamic of safety challenges experienced by Nigerian journalists during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, I am working on a research project that examines gendered threats, attacks, and harassment in and outside the newsroom as experienced by female journalists in Nigeria.
Definition of journalists' safety
Journalists’ safety is a condition whereby journalists can freely express themselves and perform their professional duties without threats or being harmed physically, mentally, financially, and online as human beings and institutional actors.Future plans for research on journalists' safety
In the future, I intend to examine gender-specific safety issues by researching how female journalists are more at risk than their male counterparts in localized contexts. Specifically, I intend to explore female journalists’ experiences of physical and online safety threats and their influence on their mental well-being and journalistic practices.- Research focuses:
- Physical, Psychological, Financial
- Methods used in research:
- Focus groups, Interviews
- Countries of research focus:
- Nigeria
Areas interested in collaborating with NGOs
I am interested in collaborating with UNESCO, Reporters without Borders, OHCHR, and other NGOs on identifying and proffering actionable solutions to gender-specific and general threats to journalists' safety physically, and psychologically.Areas interested in collaborating with other researchers
Gender-specific threats, physical, psychological, and financial
Alade Moyosore Omowonuola
Ede, Nigeria