Stakeholders unveil gender-sensitive media guidelines to drive inclusive election reporting in Nigeria - ITREALMS

Media professionals, editors, and democratic governance advocates have been presented with a practical framework aimed at transforming election coverage across Nigeria: the newly released Gender Sensitive Media Guidelines for Media Coverage of the Electoral Process in Nigeria, reports ITREALMS.

Developed to address the long-standing underrepresentation and stereotyping of women, persons with disabilities (PWDs), youth, and other historically marginalized groups, the comprehensive publication promotes ethical, balanced journalism designed to strengthen democratic participation and institutional accountability.

The initiative was produced with funding and technical support from the European Union under Phase II of the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN II) programme.

The handbook provides an in-depth analysis of systemic obstacles that continue to hinder inclusive political engagement—ranging from entrenched gender stereotypes and unequal media visibility to political violence, online harassment, and societal discrimination.

To counter these challenges, the guidelines outline actionable approaches for newsrooms, including:

Sourcing & Visibility: Expanding expert pools to regularly feature women, PWDs, and youth as primary sources and commentators.


Issue-Focused Framing: Prioritizing candidates' qualifications, policy track records, and leadership platforms over personal attributes, domestic background, or gendered tropes.


Inclusive Language: Eliminating derogatory, dismissive, or biased terminology in election reporting and political commentary.


Dedicated Portrayals: Ensuring accessible, dignifying, and proportional coverage for marginalized groups throughout pre-election, voting, and post-election cycles.

Recognizing the rapid digital transformation of global journalism, the handbook also explores the responsible deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in modern newsrooms. It highlights how AI tools can be harnessed to detect subtle gender bias in draft reporting, power data-driven investigative pieces, and combat electoral misinformation. However, the publication strongly emphasizes that AI adoption must be anchored by strict human oversight, algorithmic transparency, and core journalistic ethics.

To move beyond abstract recommendations, the guide equips media organizations with concrete monitoring and evaluation (M&E) toolkits. These self-assessment frameworks allow newsrooms to regularly track, audit, and benchmark the gender sensitivity and inclusivity of their published contents.

As Nigeria’s democratic journey continues to evolve, the Gender Sensitive Media Guidelines serve as an essential resource for news outlets committed to delivering fair, inclusive, and accurate electoral reporting.