Sundaymail Editor
Sunday Mail Reporter
THIRTY-FIVE female journalists benefited from the inaugural Women mentorship programme hosted by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) in Harare yesterday.
Running under the theme “Women for the future”, the two-day programme, which ends today, will also be rolled out in Gweru and Bulawayo next month.
Over 100 female journalists are expected to take part in the programme.
The Sunday Mail Editor , Victoria Ruzvidzo, Zimbabwe Independent Editor, Faith Zaba, veteran photojournalist, Anne Mpalume, Bridget Mananvire from News Hawks and Martha Mamombe from ZiFM Radio provided mentorship to young journalists during the workshop. In her remarks, FNF programme manager Mrs Fungisai Sithole said the project was born out of realisation that there were gender disparities in influential positions within the media sector.
“The gaps are clear for anyone to see, so we felt it is high time we address these issues,” she said.
“For so long we have not had female editors in most spaces, and it is only of late that some organisations have now decided to elevate very few women to such posts and that is a sign of hope for female media practitioners.”
According to the International Women’s Media Foundation global report on the status of women in news, women account for only 30 percent of practitioners in media.
However, 62 percent of media students at universities are female. Mrs Sithole said the programme will also create a strong support system for upcoming media practitioners.
A safe space for women in the newsrooms, she said, will attract more female journalists.
“This imbalance is actually not a true reflection of who we are as Zimbabwe,” she added.
“We have very high numbers of females graduating at universities but come to the newsrooms, we have more males.
“That means we have to work to ensure these graduates make it into the newsroom.
“Media is one of the most powerful tools that shapes our society and if we do not have any, or rather, more women in positions of influence, then it means we are powerless as women.”
Faith Zifesho, a media student at Harare Polytechnic, applauded the programme.
“This is enlightening and educating programme because we all want to get to the top and such programmes give us a real feel of what is actually happening in field,” she said.
Tariro Sajeni, a reporter with a local daily, said the programme was an eye-opener.
“We stand to benefit so much from interaction with women in leadership positions.”
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