Female journalists have been charged to continue to work hard, smarter and believe in themselves.
Theodora Aidoo of FaceToFace Africa, Ghana gave the charge on Monday during the 2021 International Women’s Day celebration held by Report Women Network (REWON) and the Wole Soyinka Center For Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ).
The virtual event also had Sharon Ijason of TVC News, Justina Asishana, The Nation Newspaper as speakers and Amaka Okoye of Arise TV as the moderator.
Aidoo while speaking said female journalists who want to excel should endeavour to always read, write, and believe in God. She also charged them to have integrity and be honest.
To be a multimedia journalist, she said journalists must be able to combine everything together, be able to use the computer and think creatively to remain relevant.
” You must be highly organized and be able to use a computer very well. Be able to use the content analysis system. Be able to use your social media very well. Be able to edit your own content.”
Ijason of TVC News advised female journalists not to focus on going viral but rather be more interested in making an impact, adding that they must not be afraid of telling any story as their integrity matters at all time.
” As a female reporter and journalist, making long term impact should be taken into cognisance rather than going viral”
In her presentation, Asishana, Niger State Correspondent for The Nation Newspaper said there are a lot of challenges facing female journalists today which do not allow them to reach the peak of their career.
She identified poor pay, disparities between men and women in the distribution of job roles/gender-role assignment, lack of female networking communities/forum, sexual harassment, bullying, sexism and threats as the glass ceilings hindering female Journalists.
Asishana noted that female Journalists have two major glass ceilings they face which is the one they have imposed on themselves and that the society imposes on them.
She said female journalists aiming beyond the glass ceilings need to aim more beyond the glass ceilings before they can be able to break or shatter the glass ceilings.
“Shattering the glass ceilings needs to be taken a step at a time we need to aim beyond the glass ceilings before breaking the glass ceilings. Female Journalists need to be able to break the glass ceilings they have imposed on themselves”
She called for female journalist networking communities and forums that are not politically motivated for selfish gains to train and mentor women journalists to mitigate the risk associated with journalism and as well help them believe in their skills and capability.
“Female journalists need these forums to share their views with fellow journalists to enable them to handle situations which on their own may leave them intimidated, abused and coerced. There is strength in number and a crowd is louder than a single voice,” Asishana stated.
