Theme: Invest In Women; Accelerate Progress
We are delighted to congratulate all women journalists this March 8 as we celebrate, globally, the existence and impact of women in our societies. We use this day to ponder on many issues that women are confronted with; those that they handle with ease or otherwise. Women are endowed with great innate potential, and how they maximize those qualities every year must be recognized. For women journalists practicing in Sierra Leone, this day is a day that we must use to reflect on how well we utilize our talents to enhance the journalism profession in the country for the common good.
We have come a long way, from the days when we could not speak in meetings because of our inability to make meaningful contributions, to now when we have a lot more women who have the capacity and a lot more to bring to the table.
SLAJ has made a significant gender-related stride that is worth mentioning. For far too long, women journalists had been crying for a gender policy as a framework to alleviate their plight in Sierra Leone’s male-dominated media. Quite recently, the President of SLAJ, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, yielded to this cry by constituting a Gender Advisory Panel that produced the SLAJ Gender Equality Policy for the media in Sierra Leone (https://slaj.sl/slaj-gender-equality-policy/) with support from the Embassy of Ireland, being probably the first journalism union in West Africa to compile and adopt this sort of document. While this move is laudable, it can amount to nothing if the policy is not fully implemented. By and large, resources are key to achieving full implementation. For this, we call on our partners to come to our aid, and we ask the SLAJ President and his Executive to ensure the provision of the required facilities for full implementation of the Policy.
Pondering the theme for this year’s celebration; ‘Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress’, investing in women is indeed a worthy cause. Women are natural incubators who have the potential to keep, nurture, grow, reproduce, and expand ideals passed on to them. Capacity building and mentorship programs for our women journalists are crucial to their journalistic output and eventual emancipation. Women journalists should be given access to all forms of training that will equip them to churn out standard content regularly. Opportunities for cross-fertilization with other media institutions overseas must be sought to enhance their exposure. When all this is taken into consideration and acted on, the pace of growth acceleration in women journalists in Sierra Leone will be accelerated. Already, we note the increase in the number of women proprietors of media institutions and women journalists with university degrees who have succeeded in eroding the laissez-faire notion attributed to women journalists. Though the growth pace of the forgoing is minimal, it is worth mentioning.
As we continue our March 8 celebration, let us commit ourselves to our ideals as captured in our gender policy:
1. We commit to taking proactive steps to integrate gender equality and women’s empowerment in line with the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act 2022.
2. We commit to ensuring that gender issues are addressed equitably, transparently, and professionally.
3. We work towards removing all obstacles to equal opportunities within SLAJ and its affiliates.
4. We encourage every journalist to practice the profession with the utmost sensitivity to gender.
On this International Women’s Day, we proudly reaffirm our commitment to fostering a media landscape in Sierra Leone where the safety and security of our female colleagues are paramount. We stand united in our determination to create an environment that safeguards women journalists online and offline, ensuring their voices are heard and respected within our newsrooms. Together, we strive to build a culture of inclusivity and empowerment, where every woman can thrive without fear, contributing to a more equitable and just society.
Happy Women’s Day to all the incredible women who inspire and shape our Association. Let us continue to work to make our Association more responsive to the needs and aspirations of our female colleagues.
