Fez Forum Promotes Representation of African Women in Media

Rabat – The Sixth Conference of African Women in Media took place in the Moroccan city of Fez on December 8 and 9, bringing together academics, experts, policy-makers, media practitioners, and NGOs with the aim of promoting the representation of African women in media.

The event was also an opportunity to highlight and celebrate the works and achievements of African women in media, as well as call for gender-inclusive practices in the field of journalism.

During the closing ceremony of the conference, the Communication Officer of the African Union Commission Wynne Musabayana presented the event’s awards to three African women writers for their media achievements and contributions.

Nigeria’s Marie-Therese Nanlong won the category of the AU Theme of the Year 2022 – The Year of Nutrition, while Kenya’s Elizabeth Angira was selected as the winner of the category: “Promoting efforts towards the Economic and Financial Inclusion of African Women.”

In addition, the award for the category of “the Rights of Children in Africa” went to Zimbabwe’s Melody Chikono.

Moroccan scholar and linguist Moha Ennaji said that the presentation of the three awards sought to “support and encourage the serious, distinguished and effective production carried out by African women journalists to support the development of the continent in order to achieve the African Union’s Agenda 2063.”

Speaking to the press on the sidelines of the event, Ennaji highlighted the congress’s “most important recommendations,” including “the fight against all forms of violence against African women in the media.” 

Using an approach to strengthen women’s position in the media includes “training and professional integration of African women in this field,” as well as “encouraging African women in the field of the media to occupy positions of editorial decision-making, management, and administration,” the Moroccan scholar noted.

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The recommendations also include “strengthening the dialogue between women journalists on the African continent and consolidating cooperation between governmental and private media industry,” Ennaji said. 

Ennaji explained that finding “effective ways” to alter and better the image of African women in the industry is also part of the recommendations.  

Ennaji, who is also the president and co-founder of the International Institute of Languages and Cultures of Fez and one of the organizing partners of the forum, noted that the two-day conference was marked by the presentation of “disturbing” findings.

A field study carried out in various African nations demonstrated that African women are overwhelmingly underrepresented in media. The representation of African women in media does not exceed 22%, he said.

In addition, the Moroccan scholar quoted CEO and founder of the African Women’s Media Network Yemisi Akinbobola as saying that she was satisfied with “the lively discussions and exchanges during these two days.” There was a notable international presence during the event that helped “to share the best practices and experiences in the area of gender equality in the media.”

Akinbobola stressed that the conference gave rise to “an explicit call for African media to cover global issues without bias or discrimination.” These issues include “gender equality, culture, and gender, as well as environmental issues and world peace.”