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, the President of the 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. All forms of sexual harassment in the film industry must be eradicated as it kills the country in so many ways that you cannot imagine.
“It is also essential that we eliminate all forms of negative stereotypes in films where we paint some things in a certain way while, in reality, it truly isn’t like that. We also need more women in the government to make policies and strengthen our stance in the country,” she said.
Also, Anita Duckworth-Bradshaw, a Life Coach at Powerhouse Global Magazine, encouraged women who had been abused in the industry to speak out to help them heal. She added that being healed from past trauma would ensure the victim had an impactful change in the industry.
“There is a lot of damage that has 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 whole self to the industry and ensure we share our pain to ease the load in our minds. It would also help eradicate the rotten eggs in the industry and ensure that such harmful elements are replaced with good ones,” she said.
Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, Co-founder of The African Women’s Development Fund, emphasised 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 women’s importance could not be overemphasised.
Beatrice Eyong, Director of UN Women’s Country, said women should become irreplaceable and indispensable in the industry so that their impact will be felt when they are not there. “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,’’ she said.
The event featured panel discussions on forming a sustainable and formidable network and the settings of structure, technology, and infrastructure in the country.
(NAN)
