Mission and Approach
AWiM is an international non-governmental organisation dedicated to creating an enabling environment where African women can thrive as media professionals, leaders, and storytellers. Their mission is rooted in advancing equitable access to representation, leadership, and influence—on screen, in newsrooms, and throughout the wider media ecosystem.
Driven by research, advocacy, and community-building, AWiM challenges long-standing narratives and structural barriers. Their work is guided by three core pillars:
- Empowerment: Through tailored trainings, mentorship programmes, and economic empowerment initiatives, AWiM strengthens the skills and leadership of women journalists across Africa.
- Evidence-Based Advocacy: AWiM grounds its policy engagement and public advocacy in rigorous research, helping shift national and regional conversations on gender, media safety, and representation.
- Collaboration and Network-Building: By convening media leaders, policymakers, academics, technologists, and civil society actors, AWiM fosters cross-sector partnerships that advance gender equality and build safer media spaces.
Recent Achievements
One of AWiM’s most anticipated milestones is the upcoming AWiM25 Conference, taking place 4–5 December 2025 at the African Union Commission headquarters in Addis Ababa.
This landmark gathering, themed “Beyond Commitments: Advancing Policies for Gender-Safe Media”, builds on major continental frameworks, including:
AWiM25 will convene over 250 delegates, bringing together media practitioners, policymakers, academics, civil society leaders, and technology actors. This edition also marks a strengthened collaboration with the African Union, signaling AWiM’s rising influence in shaping continental discourse around gender and media.
Impact on Communities and the Media Landscape
AWiM’s initiatives—particularly its Predictive Action Model (3Fs: Foresee, Foster, Future-Proof)—are reshaping how gender equality challenges are addressed in African media.
Through its conferences, research, advocacy, and capacity-building efforts, AWiM has:
- Elevated national and regional policy discussions on ending gender-based violence in and through media
- Strengthened the skills and safety of women journalists through targeted trainings and mentorship
- Encouraged cross-sector collaborations linking media, technology, civil society, and academia
- Promoted safer, more inclusive newsroom cultures and digital environments
With AWiM25, the organisation aims to accelerate these gains by delivering concrete policy recommendations, accountability frameworks, and platforms for sustained collaboration.
Challenges and Strategic Approaches
A persistent challenge for AWiM is ensuring that commitments made during high-level convenings translate into lasting institutional change.
In response, AWiM is implementing:
- Post-conference Working Groups
- Structured monitoring and accountability mechanisms
- A sustainability framework designed to ensure that outcomes endure long after major events conclude
This shift from “talk” to “action” reflects AWiM’s strategic evolution as it works to embed gender-safe media practices throughout the continent.
Reflections on GFMD Membership
“Every story we’ve edited, every reporter we’ve trained, has shown us the same truth, that women across Africa are doing extraordinary work in media, often under unsafe conditions. AWiM25 is our way of saying their safety, leadership, and voices deserve structural protection. This year’s gathering is a space for accountability and real solutions, not just promises. Working with networks like GFMD helps ensure that the stories, research, and lived realities of African women move from the margins of policy conversations to the very centre of continental decision-making.”
— Lolade Alaka, AWiM25 Conference Planning Committee Member
A Fun Fact
AWiM’s flagship event—now evolving into the AWiM Global Forum—began with fewer than 100 participants and has grown into the largest media-and-gender conference in Africa, attracting delegates from across the continent and around the world.
Connect with AWiM
AWiM welcomes partnerships, collaborations, and shared initiatives with journalists, media organisations, policymakers, researchers, and advocates working toward a gender-equitable media landscape.
📧 Dr Yemisi Akinbobola, Co-founder & CEO: yemisi@africanwomeninmedia.com
🔗 Website: https://africanwomeninmedia.com/
📱 Social Media:
Stay tuned for more stories in our Member Spotlight series. If you’re a GFMD member and would like to be featured, please reach out to fnzigno@gfmd.info — we’d love to share your story with our global network.