ReportWomen!, a gender-based initiative that amplifies women’s voices under the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), is set to begin a new chapter as it prepares to register as an independent organisation.
The announcement was made by WSCIJ’s Executive Director/CEO, Motunrayo Alaka, during the induction of the 6th cohort of the Female Reporters Leadership Programme (FRLP) Fellowship.
“With approval from the WSCIJ Board of Trustees, ReportWomen! begins a new chapter soon as it will be registered as an independent organisation under WSCIJ’s supervision,” Alaka said.
Founded in 2014, ReportWomen! has grown into a movement advocating for accountability, democracy, and representation of women as leaders, agenda-setters, and editors.
Alaka recalled the organisation’s mission: “Eleven years ago, we set out to confront the silence around women and girls in the news and to challenge the imbalance of power in the newsroom. What began as a push for more and better coverage of women’s issues has become a movement that insists representation is at the centre of accountability and democracy.”
She commended the new fellows, noting that their investigative reports have exposed issues gender issues.
“This sixth coh fellows proves the point. With courage, leadership, and uncommon storytelling, they have exposed hidden truths: from the digital sex trade to unsafe communities around oil pipelines, the denial of education for visually impaired girls, gaps in health care in riverine and conflict zones, child labour, sexual violence, and the trafficking of underage girls.
” Their work affirms a simple truth: democracy thrives where silence is broken, and accountability is demanded,” she said.
Alaka further highlighted ReportWomen!’s achievements over the past decade, which include training 537 reporters across Nigeria and Ghana, producing 136 investigative stories, 138 leadership projects, six documentaries, seven research reports, and a female experts’ guide featuring over 500 credible voices.
“With today’s inductees, ReportWomen! now counts 98 FRLP fellows whose work has touched more than 2,930 indirect beneficiaries. The Report Women Network (REWON) is indeed becoming a formidable force for accountability and inclusion,” she added.
“Journalism is not just a profession; it is a public trust,” she said. “As we mark 11 years of ReportWomen! and induct the 6th FRLP cohort, my charge is simple: let us keep opening doors, challenging practices that work against us, and reimagining journalism as a tool of accountability, democracy, and justice.”
She further appreciated ReportWomen!’s partners and donors, including the Gates Foundation, Open Society Foundation, Netherlands Embassy, Free Press Unlimited, publishers, journalism mentors, and fellows for their contributions to the initiative’s success.
