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-Zambia Media Women (ZAMWA) has called on media organisations to empower female journalists with tools, knowledge and confidence to serve as prominent voices on national and international issues.
ZAMWA has further stated that it has noticed that the balance between men and women in media management is tilted towards male colleagues, a situation which has been described as sad and needed correction.
This is contained in a press statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today by ZAMWA Publicity Secretary Mutale Kapekele.
Ms Kapekele said in line with this year’s theme of the International Women’s Day “Gender Agenda Gaining Momentum, ZAMWA was disappointed that the media landscape in Zambia is still male dominated with very few organisations giving chance to women.
Meanwhile ZAMWA Chairperson Felistus Chipako Nwaneri said there is need to see greater opportunities for female journalists to move up the corporate ladder and receive equal treatment as males.
“It is not proper that women in the media advocate for rights to inclusiveness when they are lagging behind when it comes to occupying leadership positions or in decision making in their own organisations,” she said.
ZAMWA has since called on women in the media to push away timidity and to show assertiveness as they aspire for leadership positions.
“When you are confident it will show and others will have faith in you, that is what attracts leadership,” stated Ms Nwaneri.
Ms Nwaneri urged women to work hard and rub off the perception that a woman in the media can only climb the corporate ladders using unconventional means.
“Let us prove that fallacy wrong by always displaying professionalism in our dressing, relationships with sources and our reporting. Remember that no press is truly free unless women have an equal voice,” she said.
In another development, ZAMWA has stated that it is disappointed that parliament has once again failed to table the Freedom of Information bill (FOI) in its current seating.
“We would like to remind the government that a promise is a promise and it should be honoured,” read the statement.
