Veteran actress, Joke Silva, has called for the eradication of all forms of sexual harassment against women in the film industry and negative stereotypes.
Silva, who is the President, Forum of Women in Film and TV, Nigeria, said this at the Women in Film and Tv Conference, on Wednesday in Lagos.
The importance of women in the film industry is paramount to shaping our nation, so, we need a safe and conducive environment to thrive
Veteran actress Joke Silva is advocating for a safer and more inclusive film industry in Nigeria. As the President of the Forum of Women in Film and TV, Nigeria, she emphasized the importance of eradicating sexual harassment and negative stereotypes in the industry. Silva believes that women play a crucial role in shaping the nation through film, and a conducive environment is necessary for them to thrive.
Silva’s call to action includes:
· Eliminating Sexual Harassment: Getting rid of all forms of sexual harassment in the film industry to prevent its damaging effects on individuals and society .
· Removing Negative Stereotypes: Avoiding harmful and inaccurate representations of people and situations in films to promote a more realistic and positive portrayal .
· Empowering Women in Governance: Increasing the number of women in government to create and implement policies that support women’s rights and interests [1).
Her message is crucial in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the film industry.
In another development, DJ Tuzo, also known as Jagaban of Mainland, shared his goal to perform at O2 Indigo. However, it seems unrelated to Joke Silva’s advocacy. If you’d like to learn more about O2 Indigo events or COVID-19 prevention measures, I’d be happy to provide information .
Also, Anita Duckworth-Bradshaw, Life Coach, Powerhouse Global Magazine, encouraged women who had been abused in the industry to speak out to help with their healing process.
She added that being healed from past trauma would ensure that the victim had an impactful change in the industry.
“There are a lot of damages that have been done to women and we need to start talking to address the issues and also help with the healing process.
“We must deal with the hurt to give our full self to the industry and must ensure that we share our pain to ease up the load we have in our mind.
This would also help in eradicating the bad eggs in the industry and ensure that such bad elements are replaced with good ones,” she said.
Mrs Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, Co-founder of The African Women’s Development Fund, emphasised on the importance of seeing challenges as a stepping stone to achieving great things.
She also highlighted the need for women to be given the right platform to perform in all forms of entertainment, noting that the importance of women could not be overemphasised.
Beatrice Eyong, Director, UN Women Country, said, “Women should become irreplaceable and indispensable in the industry so that when they are not there, their impact will be felt.
“We need to support women in making decisions in the film industry as there is also the need for the industry to adopt certain principles which will serve as guidelines for everyone.”
