By Agnes Ansah
Accra, April 2, GNA – Women in the media have been urged to use their platforms to project positive narratives that highlight resilience, leadership and achievements.
Madam Mercy Catherine Adjabeng, Convenor of the Alliance for Women in Media Africa (AWMA), said women must be portrayed as productive, creative leaders and survivors rather than victims.
She made the call at the AWMA and MTN Ghana International Women’s Day celebration held in Accra on Tuesday on the theme: “Empowering Women in Media to Break Barriers, Build Resilience and Shape Narratives.”
Madam Adjabeng said although women in the media faced challenges such as unequal representation and pay disparities, some had risen to occupy top positions through determination and excellence.
She cited Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman, Ghana’s first female Vice President, and Dr Fatou Bensouda of The Gambia, the first African Chief Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, as examples of women whose achievements demonstrate the heights that can be reached when narratives highlight strength, strategy, and positive contributions.
“So today, we challenge ourselves, let’s break barriers. Let’s build resilience and that comes with intentional personal development, daring to dream big and sometimes walking the lonely path of the discomfort that comes with pursuit,” she said.
Madam Adjabeng said the future of women and the media depended largely on the nature of stories and content produced by those with platforms.
She commended women who had blazed trails in the media landscape and urged them to use their influence to shape narratives that uplifted, inspired and transformed society.
“Let’s be intentional and deliberate in constructing, directing, influencing or creating stories, content, conversations to influence how people perceived behaviours, attitudes or reality,” she said.
She encouraged young women in the media space to remain focused and emulate positive examples despite challenges.
Madam Georgina Asare Fiagbenu, Acting General Manager, Sustainability and Shared Value, MTN Ghana, in a speech read on her behalf, said the company was implementing measures to bridge the gender gap in media and technology spaces.
She said the initiative was informed by low female representation at high-level meetings organised by MTN across the 16 regions, where women accounted for about 15 per cent of participants, except in community-level engagements.
Madam Fiagbenu said MTN Ghana was prioritising sustainability and gender inclusion through initiatives targeted at women, including scholarships and digital skills training programmes.
“The company aims to empower women to take leadership roles and own media spaces, recognizing their potential in the digital skills space,” she said.
The event also featured contributions from veteran women in the media who shared their experiences to inspire younger practitioners.
They included Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, Patron of AWMA; Madam Shamima Muslim, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson and former AWMA Convenor; and Madam Kate Addo, Coordinating Director, Public Affairs Subdivision of Parliament.
Others were Nana Yaa Konadu Yiadom, Patron of the Network of Women in Broadcasting; Ms Thelma Tackie, Broadcast Journalist and Senior Editor at GBC News; Ms Selikem Akolatse-Apaloo, Lead Consultant at Cypec Consult; and Ms Eunice Tornyi, Host of the African Women’s Voices Show.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey