{"id":3523,"date":"2025-08-22T09:48:06","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T07:48:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fojo.se\/en\/?p=3523"},"modified":"2025-08-22T10:54:48","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T08:54:48","slug":"behind-the-headlines-a-journey-through-ethiopias-newsrooms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fojo.se\/en\/behind-the-headlines-a-journey-through-ethiopias-newsrooms\/","title":{"rendered":"Behind the headlines: A journey through Ethiopia\u2019s newsrooms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>This July, I sat across from Dr. Yemisi Akinbobola in the bustling office of the Capital Newspaper near Bole in Addis Ababa. Calm and observant, she had just flown in from the UK to present the findings of a major new study: <a href=\"https:\/\/lnu.diva-portal.org\/smash\/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1985193&amp;dswid=8676\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cBarriers to Women Journalists in Ethiopia.\u201d<\/a> She\u2019s the co-founder and CEO of <a href=\"https:\/\/africanwomeninmedia.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">African Women in the Media<\/a> (AWiM), and though she\u2019s conducted similar research in Rwanda and sub-Saharan countries, Ethiopia presented a particularly unique context.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEthnicity and political affiliation,\u201d she said, \u201cadd extra layers of exclusion for women journalists in Ethiopia.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her words stayed with me. Over the course of the week, I joined Dr Yemisi and the <a href=\"https:\/\/emwaet.net\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ethiopian Media Women Association<\/a> (EMWA) as we visited some of Addis Ababa\u2019s prominent media houses: Fana Broadcasting, Sheger Radio, and Capital Newspaper. Our mission was to engage with newsroom leaders, reflect on gender dynamics, and inspire inclusive institution.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A glimpse inside the newsrooms<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each newsroom had its own rhythm. At Fana Broadcasting, we learned about the CEO\u2019s initiative to meet regularly with women in leadership roles. That practice, though informal, has already contributed to increasing female representation in management. Yet, when asked about gender policy, the answer was unanimous across all three media houses: \u201cWe don\u2019t have one.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There was no outright resistance. Instead, what we heard repeatedly was: \u201cWe\u2019ve just never really discussed it seriously.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the desire for progress was there. Editors and managers acknowledged the gaps and seemed eager to explore ways of making their newsrooms safer and more inclusive.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Unpacking the research<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Yemisi\u2019s research, commissioned by Fojo Media Institute\u2019s Ethiopia Programme in collaboration with EMWA, surveyed and interviewed over 100 women journalists across Ethiopia. Its findings were striking:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>59% of respondents said they encountered gender-related barriers from the moment they entered the profession.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>51% reported that sexual harassment significantly affected their career growth.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Only one mainstream media outlet had a formal gender policy.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>72% of participants said seeing women in leadership inspired their career ambitions.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As I listened to her during our interview, she explained not just the data\u2014but the stories behind it. Stories of resilience, silence, exclusion and hope.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the deeper value of the study lay not just in numbers, but in the lived experiences they captured, she said. Many respondents described wearing fake wedding rings to deter sexual advances. Others spoke of concealing their ethnic identities to avoid bullying. Several shared how they created a \u201cno-nonsense\u201d persona to shield themselves from unwanted attention.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThese coping mechanisms,\u201d Dr. Yemisi told me, \u201care symptoms of institutional failure. When women must protect themselves, it\u2019s a sign that the organisation isn\u2019t doing enough.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She pointed to the silence around harassment: \u201cWomen don\u2019t speak up because they fear losing their jobs, or worse, being humiliated. Sometimes the very act of reporting becomes another trauma.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why gender policy matters<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On July 24, 2025, at the Inter Luxury Hotel in Addis Ababa, the report was officially launched at the Gender &amp; Media Conference, hosted by the Ethiopian Media Women Association (EMWA) in collaboration with the Fojo Media Institute\u2019s Ethiopia Programme. The room buzzed with energy, in a room filled with journalists, donors, academics, and media regulators. The Embassy of Sweden, a key supporter of the programme, was represented by Maria Monahov, her message underlined the link between gender equality, media freedom and democracy:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEnsuring the safety and dignity of women journalists is not optional &#8211; it is essential. These are not just values we hold dear; they are the foundation of inclusive, resilient societies.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDuring my time in Ethiopia, I\u2019ve been inspired by the professionalism of journalists supported by the Fojo Media Institute and partners like EMWA.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her message reminded us that global solidarity matters and that support must go beyond inspiration and into action.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most powerful aspects of the event was an all-women panel that brought together voices from academia, the regulators, media associations and frontline practitioners. Having the Ethiopian Media Authority present wasn\u2019t just symbolic; it was a strategic signal of commitment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Together, they emphasised actionable recommendations:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Establish gender desks in every newsroom.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Build mentorship programmes for early-career women journalists.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Encourage donors and implementors to support women-led media for sustainability.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beyond funding: Sustainability&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But what happens when the funding ends?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Yemisi raised an important concern: \u201cToo many initiatives rely on external funding. What\u2019s needed is ownership. Media houses must see gender equity as their responsibility, not just a donor project.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She argued that creating a gender-sensitive newsroom doesn\u2019t require massive budgets. It requires will. \u201cYou don\u2019t need extra departments or resources,\u201d she told me. \u201cWhat you need is a cultural shift.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fojo\u2019s support to EMWA has been strategic and deeply rooted. From developing Ethiopia\u2019s first <a href=\"https:\/\/emwaet.net\/directory\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gender Directory of Women Experts<\/a> to delivering capacity-building training across all regions, the partnership has been foundational. Most recently, Fojo is providing direct technical support to EMWA and eight selected media houses to craft formal gender policies\u2014tailored to each newsroom\u2019s needs yet aligned with broader regulatory and human rights frameworks.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This effort is more than a checklist. It\u2019s part of a long-term vision, one that will converge in December 2025 at AWiM conference, AWiM2025, to be held at the African Union Commission. Themed <em>&#8220;Advancing Policies for Gender-Safe Media,&#8221;<\/em> the event aims to build on this momentum, bringing Ethiopian voices to a continental stage.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Toward a shared future<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The voices we heard this week from editors, journalists, researchers and regulators shared a common message: gender equity in the newsroom isn\u2019t a luxury. It\u2019s a foundation for ethical journalism and democratic integrity.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the event, one question echoed among participants: what happens next, how will it lead to the change that all women media practitioners want? &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meseret, EMWA\u2019s new directress offered a clear pathway to this. With support from Fojo Media Institute and the Embassy of Sweden in Addis Ababa. EMWA is launching a pilot initiative with eight selected media houses to develop concrete gender policies a first to many of them. This pilot marks an important starting point, aiming to build safer, more inclusive, and empowering newsroom environments for women journalists across the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As I reflected on my time with Dr. Yemisi and the Gender &amp; Media Conference, I was reminded that behind every headline lies a multitude of unheard voices. But with a gender policy now set to be integrated into editorial guidelines, there is renewed hope\u2014hope rooted in a shared conviction:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journalism without gender is a story half told.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Women journalists in Ethiopia face barriers rooted not just in gender, but in politics, ethnicity and silence. Having witnessed these realities firsthand, I believe the real change will only come when media houses themselves\u2014not just donors\u2014take responsibility for building safer, more inclusive newsrooms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jet_sm_ready_style":"","_jet_sm_style":"","_jet_sm_controls_values":"","_jet_sm_fonts_collection":"","_jet_sm_fonts_links":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[193],"region":[43],"class_list":["post-3523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ethiopia","tag-editorial","region-ethiopia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fojo.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3523","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fojo.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fojo.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fojo.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fojo.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3523"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/fojo.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3523\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3536,"href":"https:\/\/fojo.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3523\/revisions\/3536"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fojo.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fojo.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fojo.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3523"},{"taxonomy":"region","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fojo.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/region?post=3523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}