Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade
Organisation (WTO), has commended the Swiss press council for calling out
Aargauer Zeitung, a Swiss newspaper, over its headline describing her as
“grandmother” after her election.
Following the election of Okonjo- Iweala as WTO DG, at
least, three Swiss newspapers — Luzerner
Zeitung, Aargauer Zeitung and St. Galler Tagblatt — had described Okonjo-Iweala
as a 66-year-old Nigerian grandmother.
“This Grandmother will become the new boss of WTO,” the
headline of a report by Luzerner Zeitung had read.
The Swiss media description led to condemnation and a heavy
backlash, with many describing the reportage as an expression of racism and
gender discrimination.
Consequently, Aargauer Zeitung apologised, saying the
headline was “inappropriate and unsuitable”.
On Tuesday, the Swiss Press Council, a self-regulatory media
ethics organisation, faulted Aargauer Zeitung’s reportage.
It examined charges that the paper’s choice of words had
been motivated by gender discrimination and/or racial discrimination.
The media regulator, however, said it had not been able to
determine whether discrimination on the basis of skin colour had played a role.
“However, it is obvious that if this had been about a male
former finance and foreign minister in a country of 200 million people, the
headline ‘a grandfather becomes the WTO director-general’ would be
inconceivable,” it said.
“Therefore, the council deems the headline discriminatory on
the basis of gender.”
Commenting in a tweet on Thursday, Iweala commended the
media council, saying it is appropriate to call out sexism, racism.
“I welcome the ruling
of the Swiss Press Council calling out the gender bias & sexism of Swiss
newspaper Aargauer Zeitung for its headline ‘Grandmother becomes boss of WTO’
upon my appointment. It is right to call out sexism, racism or both when you
see it!” she said.
Okonjo-Iweala is the first woman to head the WTO.
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