African Women in Media to host its 7th annual Conference (AWiM23) in Marriott Kigali, Rwanda, from 30 November to 1 December 2023 with the theme Media and Gender
The conference is expected to explore how media influences perceptions of gender-based violence and the lived experiences of women in media who face various forms of violence in their line of duty.
Media and Gender Violence refer to the intersection of how media portrays violence against individuals based on their gender identity, women’s lived experiences in media, and the range of violence they experience.
These might be online violence, sexual harassment, and physical violence. Gender-based violence has reached pandemic proportions worldwide, and the media is both a powerful tool in the fight against it and a potential enabler.
Recent statistics reveal that gender-based violence remains an enduring global issue, disproportionately affecting women and girls. Additionally, women in media have long faced gender-based discrimination and violence, including sexual harassment, online violence, and more.
AWiM23 Rwanda is a platform that brings together media practitioners, academia, policy actors, and civil society organizations to collaborate, share best practices, and devise actionable strategies to address these pressing issues.
Through thought-provoking workshops, enlightening panels, engaging fireside chats, inspiring Ignite Talks, and dynamic fishbowl conversations, it is believed to foster meaningful discussions and explore innovative solutions.
“This year’s theme is such a crucial one that addresses issues of gender-based violence concerning media representation and the lived experiences of women in media”, said Dr. Yemisi Akinbobola, Co-founder and CEO, of AWiM. “We are introducing new formats at AWiM23, including Fireside Chats, Fishbowl Discussions, Roundtables, panels, and workshops, allowing us to create intimate spaces for candid discussion and action.” She added.
In collaboration with. Fojo Media Institute, AWiM urges all the stakeholders to come together to fight the epidemic of gender-based violence in society adding AWiM23 is the ultimate opportunity for women media professionals and other stakeholders to set an agenda for action that can create commitment within the African media industry and beyond.
“Fojo Media Institute is proud to be a supporting partner to this important event,” said Agneta Söderberg Jacobson, Senior Advisor Fojo Media Institute.
Dr. Amina Salihu, Deputy Director, Africa Office, MacArthur Foundation supported them on Media and Gender Violence and says it will help to guide media organizations across the continent in the right direction when reporting violence against women and girls.
“We are pleased to partner with AWiM for this important theme on Media and Gender Violence; the prospects for a Declaration coming out of the conference to guide media organizations across the continent is quite significant,” said Dr. Amina Salihu.
AWiM has been working as part of the MacArthur Foundation-supported CMEDIA project with the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism projects, build on, among others Reporting Violence against women and girls.