IWD 2025: WoJAG calls for better working conditions for Women Journalists

The Women Journalists Association of The Gambia- WoJAG joins the rest of the world to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD 2025) under the theme “𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬: 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬. 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲. 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭”.

While this year’s theme calls for action to unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all, WoJAG believes it is important to highlight and call for action on the harmful working conditions that still persist in The Gambian media.

Women journalists play a fundamental role in the development of the Gambian media, working as presenters, reporters, editors, technicians, managers and media proprietors. Despite doing remarkably well, they continue to be confronted with an increased gender inequality in representation in decision making, low wages, and sexual harassment amongst others.

WoJAG recognizes that in recent years, most enrollments and graduates at the University of The Gambia School of Journalism and Digital Media and the Gambia Press Union training school (MAJaC) are Young women and girls. This has resulted into an unprecedented growth in the number of women who have acquired Diplomas, Advanced Diplomas and Degrees in journalism.

Regardless of these accomplishments, which shows that there isn’t a lack of knowledge and skills among women journalists, editorial boards and decision-making positions in newsrooms are mainly dominated by men while women are left to occupy small roles in the newsrooms.

Banna Sabally, The Secretary General of WoJAG describes the efforts to ensure a good working condition for women a continuous process, “Gaining an equitable and non-exploitative media space for women would not be an easy task,” Banna said. “It is an ongoing endeavor that would require a collective effort from everyone; women included, to remove barriers that exist and foster an environment of equal opportunities and favorable working conditions for women in Media “she added.

In 2020, the GPU published two studies, one on Sexual Harassment and another on the Working Conditions of Media Workers in The Gambia. Both studies conclude that women are at a disadvantaged position in newsrooms due to the prevalence of the sexual and gender based violence that continue to persist in the space.

The studies indicated that approximately 50 percent of respondents faced discrimination in their workplaces based on gender. This discrimination as highlighted by Working Conditions of Media Workers study, emanated from the significant gaps that exist when conditions for both men and women are compared at all levels especially in terms of pay, positions held, and even treatment.

“Equality is not a privilege, it is a right”, said Annette Camara, President of WoJAG. “Women in the media are shaping nations, leading industries, and making history yet, we continue to fight for equal pay and improved working conditions. But we will not stop until opportunities and pays are equal, and until every girl knows she is unstoppable.” She concluded.

Under the campaign theme ‘Accelerate Action’, WoJAG is committed to engaging various stakeholders in media institutions to ensure a rapid advancement in gender equality in the Gambian media industry. This we believe, will result to an accelerated action in eliminating the unfavorable working condition wwomen journalist face in newsrooms.

While we reflect and celebrate today, WoJAG calls on all media employers to renew their commitment to ensuring gender equality by:

Complying with local and international labour standards by ensuring women Journalists are hired based on written employment contracts, are adequately paid, and all benefits due to them, including health, further education/training, social security are met.

Bridging the existing gender gap in the newsroom by appointing more women into editorial boards and decision-making positions in newsrooms and other key management positions in media houses; and

Domesticating the GPU Sexual Harassment Policy as a guide to ensure a safe and conducive work environment for women journalists and all female media workers;

Publish [10:00, 08/03/2025]