Media leaders unite to advance gender equality across East and Southern Africa

Leading media organizations from East and Southern Africa have signed a declaration committing to advance gender equality through the tool of storytelling.

This pledge was made during the Generation Equality Media and Commitment Makers Forum held on May 29, 2025, in Nairobi, Kenya.

The forum was convened through a joint initiative by UN Women Africa, the Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK), the Kenya Editors Guild (KEG), and Nalafem.

It brought together a dynamic mix of stakeholders from editors and journalists to youth activists, government representatives, civil society organizations, and private sector leaders from over 14 countries.

The aim was to explore practical, impactful ways the media can shape positive social norms, challenge entrenched stereotypes, and accelerate the journey toward gender equality.

A Regional Media Commitment

At the core of the forum was the signing of a declaration. Media organizations are committed to:

• Promoting gender-sensitive reporting that reflects the realities of women, girls, and marginalized communities;
• Establishing and upholding editorial policies that prioritize gender equality;
• Amplifying the voices and work of Generation Equality Commitment Makers;
• Regularly monitoring and evaluating progress in reporting on gender equality.

“We, the undersigned media organizations gathered at the Generation Equality Media and Commitment Makers Forum, recognize the critical role of media in shaping narratives and holding institutions accountable for gender equality and women’s empowerment across East and Southern Africa and beyond,” the declaration states.

Victor Bwire, Director of Media Training and Development at the Media Council of Kenya (MCK), urged media professionals to embed gender dimensions naturally into stories, regardless of the topic.

“For instance, when reporting on climate change, the story’s entry point may be environmental, but it naturally reveals the gendered dimensions,” he noted.

Anna Mutavati, Regional Director of UN Women East and Southern Africa, emphasized the role of media as essential partners, especially during a time when women’s organizations face growing challenges.

“From the climate emergency to shrinking civic space and funding constraints, women and girls are disproportionately affected. In times like these, we must unite our hands, our resources, and our expertise, and we count on media partners,” Mutavati urged.

She called for a shift from “one-off events to sustained partnerships, from isolated stories to systemic narrative change, and from reporting on women to reporting with women”.

Leadership and Perspective

Ruth Nesoba, a Trustee of the Kenya Editors Guild, acknowledged the critical role journalists play in shaping perceptions and promoting accountability.

“This forum provides a unique space to explore how the media can accelerate progress towards gender equality, challenge entrenched stereotypes, and amplify the voices of women and girls across East and Southern Africa and beyond,” she said.

Nesoba emphasized KEG’s commitment to providing training, advocating for gender parity in newsrooms, and advancing ethical, survivor-centered reporting, especially on sensitive issues like gender-based violence.

Echoing these sentiments, AMWIK Executive Director Queenter Mbori emphasized the need for sustained, meaningful storytelling.

” We laud all media representatives who have signed the declaration to ensure gender-sensitive reporting. Every story of progress told moves us one step closer to achieving equality,” Mbori said.

The forum highlighted that the media not only reflects society but also helps shape it.

The declaration acknowledged the responsibility of the media to challenge harmful norms, elevate underrepresented voices, and report with integrity and empathy.

A Significant Year for Gender Equality

The timing of the forum holds particular significance. The year 2025 marks:

• 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a global blueprint for gender equality;
• 25 years of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, recognizing women’s roles in peacebuilding and conflict resolution;
• 15 years since the establishment of UN Women, the UN entity dedicated to gender equality and women’s empowerment.

These milestones provide an opportunity to reflect, renew, and recommit.

As emphasized in the Pact for the Future and recent Beijing+25 regional reviews, sustained partnerships across sectors and generations are critical accelerators of gender equality.

About the Convening Organizations

UN Women is the United Nations agency championing gender equality and women’s empowerment globally.

It supports governments and civil society in shaping policies, programs, and services that ensure equal rights and opportunities for all women and girls.

In Africa, UN Women plays a critical role in aligning international commitments with regional and local action.

The Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK) is a national membership organization founded in 1982.

It brings together women journalists and communicators from various media sectors.

AMWIK’s mission is to promote a gender-responsive society through transformative, rights-based journalism.

It also provides training, mentorship, and platforms for women’s voices in media.

The Kenya Editors Guild (KEG) is the professional body representing editors across Kenyan media houses.

It advocates for press freedom, media accountability, and excellence in journalism. KEG has been instrumental in promoting gender equity in newsroom leadership and ethics in media practice.

Nalafem, or the Pan-African Network of Feminist Political Leaders, is a multigenerational collective launched in 2021.

It evolved from the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and champions transformative feminist leadership.

Nalafem brings together youth, grassroots activists, and political leaders to shape policies that reflect the lived experiences of African women and girls.

The forum concluded with a call for continued collaboration and mutual accountability.

The unified declaration by media leaders sends a clear message: that the future of gender equality in Africa will be driven not just by policy, but by the stories we choose to tell and who gets to tell them.