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WOMEN CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
By Charity Binka - Ghana
I have never had any doubt in my mind that
women are effective catalysts for change and
that their active involvement in
decision-making can lead to significant
improvements in communities they live in.
What is lacking is the opportunity to
develop our skills and potentials to the
fullest. There seems to be a conspiracy
against women to keep them ‘down’. The media
industry is the worst culprit.
Women in the media in Africa seem to be
operating in spaces, which increasingly
prove to be difficult to navigate. The news
is seldom managed or presented by, for or
about women. In all forms of news media, men
most often make decisions. This is
unfortunate because when women are excluded
from decision-making within the news, the
media fails to reflect the issues and
perspectives that are important to a
majority of society. The broadcast media
seems worse hit in this regard.
Education seems to be the key to reversing
this situation. We need a critical mass of
well-educated women in the media to turn
things around. And I believe this is exactly
what the IAWRT FOKUS Fellowship programme
seeks to achieve. And I am really excited to
be one of the beneficiaries of the
fellowship this year.
The $2500 awarded me will help meet part of
my financial obligations to the Ghana
Institute of Management and Public
Administration where I am currently pursuing
a two-year Executive Masters Course in
Public Administration.
The media industry in Ghana is not growing
because most of the people at the helm of
affairs do not possess the needed managerial
skills. I think there is an opportunity for
women to take up the challenge to acquire
managerial skills that can help create
demand for women leaders in the broadcast
media in particular. With more skilled women
at the top, the media scene will definitely
change for the better.
I chose management because I believe that
the ability to make an impact in a chosen
area of work depends largely on how one
manages the dynamics of growth and
development within that organization.
I believe the 21st Century is for women.
What is needed now is a critical mass of
women who can make a difference. But getting
the funds for further studies continues to
be the greatest constraint for women
desirous to belong to that critical mass. It
becomes even more challenging for older
women. This is why I am indeed grateful to
the IWART for the financial support.
My first reaction to the call for
applications for the Award was “ I don’t
stand a chance”. After a second thought, I
told myself there was no harm in trying so I
decided to give it a shot. A good lesson
learnt is that women must make use of every
opportunity to develop. It is worth it.
Kudos to the IAWRT!!!!!!
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