This archive report was first published on 18 July 2019.
On July 25-27, 2019, the University of Nairobi Towers will host the African Women in Media (AWiM) conference, a three-day global event that aims to address gender inequality in the media.
Founded by Dr Yemisi Akinbobola, the conference will feature 300 guests, 100 speakers, and trainers from various African countries. The event is themed 'Showcase' and will include panel discussions, project presentations, training workshops, film screenings, exhibitions, and networking opportunities.
Dr Akinbobola, an award-winning journalist and academic, emphasized the importance of showcasing women as experts in various media topics, including violence, police making, global innovations, misinformation, and fake news. 'Often, the experts that are used as news sources are mostly predominantly men …It's all about whose voices have been heard and used to develop agendas,' Dr Akinbobola told KTN News' Michelle Ngele during an interview at the Standard Group Plc studios.
One of the highlights of the conference is the AWiM Pitch Zone, where attendees will have the opportunity to pitch stories to organizations in order to win $2,000 (Sh203,000) to produce the stories. International media outlets such as BBC and CNN will also commission stories that they like.
The conference objectives are in line with the African Union's Agenda 2063 Aspirations three and six, and United Nations SDGs five and ten. Organisations represented at the conference will set an agenda on how they will improve the working conditions for their female employees and bridge the inequality gap at the workplace.
