The final report of the European Union Election Observation Mission in Liberia monitored three newspapers during the general elections in 2023 and appraised The Inquirer Newspaper for reporting more issues that centered on women during the political period under review.
The report said The Inquirer, which is the third in readership, with an estimated readership of 20,000 people, directed 18 percent of its election coverage on women in elections, unlike the 8 percent for Daily Observer and 10 percent for FrontPage Africa Newspapers
“While we acknowledge the EU for her recognition of our work, I feel that we should have done more to lift the issues of women in the 2023 elections, knowing how vulnerable they were in a tightly contested race,” the Managing Editor of the Inquirer Newspaper said.
Madam Winnie Saywah-Jimmy noted that women participating in election activities, whether as stand-up candidates, supporters, election workers, or observers, are exposed to humiliation, insults, gender-based violence, intimidation, and in the worst-case scenario, torture or death.
She added, “Therefore, lifting the issues of women participating in these processes should have been given more attention by us in the media.”
According to her, the 2023 election presented her and The Inquirer an opportunity to look more to issues that confront women and children, and work with other media, as well as international partners, to ensure that issues that are lifted are given due attention by the requisite authorities, so as to serve as deterrents to would be violators and punishment to alleged perpetrators.
“We as media institutions must bring the issues of women and children, not only in elections, but in other areas such as education, health and sanitation, development, political participation, as well as decision making, on the table. Let us hear them out and follow up on some of their recommendations. This is what I will do here at The Inquirer,” she said.
Madam Saywah-Jimmy, however, thanked the EU for highlighting the work of The Inquirer Newspaper in its report, and claimed that the report is a call on the institution to focus its attention on the activities of women, not only in elections, but other areas of concern.
“We will use the basis of this report as an encouragement for us to look more in the areas of women and girls, and will work with partners to help lift their issues to the ears of government,” The Inquirer boss noted.
She observed that her institution is interested in working on a public report of street children in Liberia, saying “But you know, that will require funding, and up to now, we have not found any partner to work with on the issue.”