Journalism and gender: Femml Media empowers women journalists

Femml Media, funded by the Cooperation and Cultural Action Section of the French Embassy in Mali, organized a training workshop for women journalists from July 8 to 12, 2024. Twenty women journalists participated. The aim was to strengthen their skills so that they can better express their voices.

A total of 20 female journalists from print, radio, television and online media participated in the week-long training for female journalists. During the week, participants received training from experts in the field of journalism on various aspects of the profession, including gender-sensitive journalism, editorial capacity building, fact-checking and reporting techniques.

Aminata Oudraogo, spokesperson for Femml Medias, said that through this initiative, Femml Medias hopes that the training participants will amplify their voices in the media sector. In this sense, she said that women are not represented in the Malian media sector. She estimated that after a week of training, 20 beneficiaries are now ready to play their role in their respective editorial rooms.

Djlika Traor, speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, confirmed that this training gave participants the opportunity to acquire the means and tools to better practice their profession. She therefore thanked the organizers for the initiative.

During this training session, trainer Fatouma Harber made Malian women journalists aware of the power of media and social networks in projecting a positive image of themselves and their profession. Likewise, she encouraged them to develop skills in the strategic use of digital platforms to increase their visibility, influence and impact. She also recognized that women journalists have potential and deserve support and training through such initiatives to enhance their confidence and ability to assert themselves in the media space in an authentic and professional manner.

Women are capable of doing all the work that men can do. For this reason, I strongly encourage women journalists to diversify their voices and, most importantly, to express their opinions on topics that they care about, she added.

Like Fatuma Haber, the trainers’ wish is to see the beneficiaries of training in key subjects have their voices heard. This activity is part of Femml media’s efforts to advance the status of women.

Siguta Salimata Dembul

(intern)