Women in news accelerator programme gets boost
Past participants of the Women In News programme. WAN-IFRA and its funding partners believe that the underrepresentation of women in the making of news and in the news. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- It aims to support sector-leading Women in News programme by enabling them to expand to new markets
- Women in News is currently active in 15 countries throughout Africa, the Arab Region and Southeast Asia
- WAN-IFRA’s mission is to protect the rights of journalists and publishers around the world to operate independent media
World Association of News Publishers, WAN-IFRA, last Tuesday announced a seven million Euro funding from SIDA, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.
The four-year grant aims to support sector-leading Women in News programme by enabling them to expand to new markets, launch global research initiatives, and build internal capacity to operate the programme throughout the Arab Region and Sub-Saharan Africa.
EXPANSION AND IMPACT
The funding, which is the largest to have been received by the organisation for its media freedom work, also marks the continuation of a nearly decade-long partnership with SIDA.
WAN-IFRA and its funding partners believe that the underrepresentation of women in the making of news and in the news, as well as the disparities between men and women within the global news media industry, alarmingly undermine the contribution the media can have on democratic development and human rights.
Through Women in News, WAN-IFRA intends to continue to lead the conversation and push for change amongst its membership base and globally.
Head of Women in News and WAN-IFRA’s Director for Media Development Melanie Walker expressed her gratitude and excitement about the prospects for continued expansion and impact.
“We launched WIN almost 10 years ago on a shoestring budget and a novel approach. As the programme has evolved, we’ve never lost sight of the programme’s essence, that of local ownership and community. The success of Women in News is a testament to an expansive community of advocates and champions of Women in News who contribute to the programme because of their fundamental belief that gender equality is a human right, and the media has a pivotal role in making this belief a reality,” she said.
GLOBAL ADVOCACY
Vincent Peyregne, CEO of WAN-IFRA added, “WAN-IFRA has a particular role to play in partnering with the news media industry to improve our gender balance metrics across the board. We are an industry that continues to trail behind others when it comes to diversity and inclusion. Our Women in News programme is dedicated to correcting the current imbalance, educate and sensitise media organizations to the financial and normative imperatives of striving for gender balance and equality.”
Women in News is currently active in 15 countries throughout Africa, the Arab Region and Southeast Asia. The initiative partners with the news media industry to increase the leadership and voices of women in news through capacity building, in-house advisory services and global advocacy.
WAN-IFRA’s mission is to protect the rights of journalists and publishers around the world to operate independent media. It provides its members with expertise and services to innovate and prosper in a digital world and perform their crucial role in society.
With formal representative status at the United Nations, UNESCO and the Council of Europe, it derives its authority from its global network of leading news publishing companies and technology entrepreneurs, and its legitimacy from its 60 national association members representing 18,000 publications in 120 countries.
