After 16-year-old Benard* was diagnosed with HIV, all he needed was meaningful engagement, counselling and proper medication to achieve viral load suppression and continue his normal life without being constantly down with sickness, but factors such as poor parental care, ignorance, non-adherence to a regimen, poor nutrition and poverty among other things deprived him of…
This story is part of the African Women in Media (AWiM) Peace and Security Journalism Programme in partnership with UNESCO, through the IPDC framework.
Gender-based violence is first and foremost a human rights issue but it also presents social, community, and economic challenges to survivors, their families and society at large. Media outlets working to increase awareness of the epidemic should factor in fees accumulated by survivors such as healthcare, legal, and even transportation costs in reporting cases of…
Video games have taken on a new life with social media and live streaming services. But in North Africa the world of tournaments and gaming content is just beginning to really heat up. MENA girl-gamers are also attracting more notice. Three of them sat down with AWiM News to give insight into the community along…
Both disability and gender have historically been factors in stigma and prejudice. In the MENA region, women with disabilities remain particularly marginalised. Poverty, healthcare bias, and cultural attitudes often mean that women with disabilities face more hurdles in getting their voices heard. Access to education and the formal workforce is also less prioritised for women…
Earlier this year, 35-year-old Nnenaya Onu was reported to have lost her life to men alleged to be her cousins who beat her up, strip her naked, dismembered and burnt her alive in her father’s compound. Her only crime was demanding a share of her late father’s properties. News of her death which occurred on…
Rejoice Amuntenya and Mehafo Amunyela are two students who have started the first ever Namibian magazine for young adults: Afterbreak Magazine. AWiM speaks to both of them to hear how it all began and what they hope to achieve for youths in Namibia. — Magazines and newspapers are the most notable traditional forms of media….
As journalists, we must hold power to account, and share stories that matter to those within society. We interview, write and publish people’s stories for a living. But sometimes that isn’t enough when we are required to do more to make a real difference. — In July, we hosted a Twitter conversation on Reporting violence…
In a recent interview with the South African freelance photojournalist Sumaya Hisham, she said to me: “As a freelancer, it feels like my job is more full-time than it is freelance.” As soon as she finishes shooting and editing, she is back on the hunt for the next job, pitching stories, travelling, and doing the…
From Minna, a not-so-famous city in Niger State, Nigeria, the story of a young female journalist with a burning desire to make an impact in the world through her little means began and has since blossomed into full bloom. Justina Ashishana began her journalism career as an intern at The Nation newspaper in 2011 upon…
As days turn into months, months into years and years into decades, the clamour for equal participation of both male and female gender in all sectors continues to increase. This clamour is seen to be more rampant among women who are always seen playing the gender card on issues and situations where they do not…
Gender inequality remains to be an issue in every sector, especially those that were historically deemed as male-dominated professions. A depiction of journalism in the early 19th century consists of women being told their place of work was at home. Any woman with the aspiration of being a journalist was struck down and told it…
