By Mary Kabay
The Sierra Leone Association of Women in Journalism (SLAWIJ) has on the 31st July 2021 inducted or orientated thirty one (31) new members into the Association during a brief but very auspicious event held at the Association’s Head Office on 29 Jones Street in Freetown with the theme: “Women Journalists Taking Center Stage in Media Development”.
Eminent Lady Lucy- Ann Ganda, who was unavoidably absent, but her statement read out encouraged women to be strong and be ready to take their work serious and to be at the centre of prominence in the sphere of journalism.
As Executive President of the Association she explained the roles and responsibilities of members of the Association to its members revealing how the organization was formed in March 2020 with the core aim of promoting the welfare of female journalists in Sierra Leone and increase their visibility to transform the media landscape through professional development programs and advocacy.
She dilated on the Mission and Vision of the Association which, according to her, borders on fostering the representation of women in journalism within the media in Sierra Leone and building an informed gender awareness in the media in order to have empowered women journalists in leadership positions.
Touching on the objectives, she said ,the Association is advocating for the rights of women journalists , to endeavor to address the challenges of women journalists in the media, to empower women journalists to attain leadership positions within the media, to foster an informed gender sensitive media in Sierra Leone, to capacitate women journalists to report on women issues and other male dominated areas of reporting and to organize and unite media women in fellowship and link them with similar organizations internationally.
She also highlighted the programs of the Association stating that they are based on advocacy and communications, capacity building and training, research and development and outreach.
“Our corporate values are media professional ethics, transparency and accountability, honesty and integrity and respect for human rights,” she informed the new members.
In disclosing the organogram of the Association she made mention of the Executive President, Director of Programmes, Director of Finance, Director of Public Relations, Human Resource Director, Secretary, Adviser, Regional Coordinator for the Easter, Northern and Southern Provinces, District Coordinators and the membership.
She said the current membership strength is over sixty (60) including the founding members of the organization adding that their membership cuts across eminent women in journalism (the print and electronic media), Public Relations or Communication Experts, development media and students. Criteria for becoming a member were also specified.
Eminent Lady Lucy- Ann Ganda furthered that the organization is also partnering with the Ministry of Gender and Children Affairs, Legal Aid Board Sierra Leone, Initiative, Rainbow Initiative, Patriotic Advocacy Network and Internews.
“SLAWIJ has a strong social media presence that has played a great role in its visibility,” she stated disclosing how the Organization has the following Social Media Platforms: https://www.slawij.com/, Email:slawij20@gmail.com, Facebook-9,200 likes, Instagram-441 followers and Twitter-222 followers.
Eminent Lady Aminata Finda Massaquoi, Head of Programmes, in outlining the programmes they have done so far, explained that SLAWIJ ‘s has been reaching out to communities in order to sensitize them on the COVID-19 preventive measures, observed the Menstrual Hygiene Day, donated pads to women in quarantined homes and spoke to women about the importance of 16 Days of Activism which she said they undertook in various districts.
Elvis Enoh Esq did an introduction on Gender Based Violence explaining that many female journalists have suffered from it.
He said if every girl that is born suffers from rape and they cannot show their faces in the public then there is no need for the Association to exist. He said that gender equality is based on women empowerment.
