A scene at the launch of the strategy document
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), a pioneering organisation dedicated to promoting media development and freedom of expression in West Africa, has launched a strategy document on Gender Equality in the Media in Ghana on March 27, 2025 in Accra.
The strategy document is part of the Equal Voices Project implemented by the MFWA in partnership with Canal France International (CFI) to strengthen the capacities of media personnel and promote better gender representation through editorial and organisational policies.
The Cooperation Attaché of the French Embassy, Marine Hayem, stated that media is the cornerstone of the society and plays a critical role in the democratic process, so the achievement of gender parity in a news media organisation is vital for ensuring that women’s voices and stories are equally represented.
“When women’s voices are heard equally, it means the concerns of half of the population are correctly addressed,” she explained.
She pointed out that equal voices are needed to challenge stereotypes and promote a more gender-inclusive society. She noted that the launch of the strategy document marks yet another milestone within the media sector, as it is a collective effort from numerous media outlets, policy makers and other stakeholders.
“Today’s launch of the strategy document for gender equality in media, it marks another key milestone within the media sector. I think that the strategy document represents a very collective efforts from the media associations, the policy makers and other important stakeholders,” she stated.
According to her, what sets the strategy document apart is its practical and realistic approach, outlining steps, timelines, and actions to achieve its objectives. She also explained the onus of the implementation of the contents of the document lies on the active involvement of all stakeholders.
In a speech read on behalf of the President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Dwumfour, commended the MFWA and the CFI on the “Equal Voices Project”, and expressed happiness at being associated with the project, especially as they were a part of the four strategic dialogues and validation meetings. He explained that even with the progress the media landscape in Ghana has made over the years, female representation is still quite low. He also explained that the lack of representation perpetuates gender stereotypes and biases, reinforcing harmful gender norms, limiting the diversity of perspectives and ideas, which only leads to a lack of nuance and informed reporting.
He also highlighted steps to be followed by media houses to bridge the gap.
He urged that media houses promote capacity-building workshops, and training programmes for journalists to recognise and understand the issues and challenges with biases, in order to promote a more inclusive and nuanced reportage.
By Vera Owusu Sarpong