Media women discuss workplace challenges
Women in the media, like their male counterparts, are considered duty-bound to address and help alleviate societal problems. Having surmounted some of the barriers to enter that traditionally male-dominated profession,"women media workers", as they are often known across the African continent, are expected to transcend obstacles of culture, education and poverty to take their rightful places in their countries' economic and political sectors.
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They are an important part of the development process and they play important roles in championing legal rights and advocating women's increased access to education and other resources, women’s participation in socio-economic development, as well as highlighting issues of child and sexual abuse, negative cultural practices and general societal problems that affect the rights of people.
International Women’s Day
One reason cited by the United Nations General Assembly when adopting its resolution on the observance of International Women’s Day was “to recognise the fact that securing peace and social progress and the full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms require the active participation, equality and development of women; and to acknowledge the contribution of women to the strengthening of international peace and security.”
The United States of America has observed Women’s History Month, which grew out of a small-town school event in California and has been celebrated annually throughout the month of March since 1987 to celebrate women’s contributions to history, culture and society. The theme for the 2015 celebration was “Weaving the Stories of Women’s Lives”.
A meeting hosted by the Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States (US) Embassy in Ghana, Ms C.Pat Alsup, and the Information Officer, Ms Jeanne L. Clark, for selected women in the media and women leaders in journalism training institutions at Ms Alsup’s residence in Accra recently, as part of the celebration of this year’s Women’s History Month, provided an open forum for the guests to discuss and share their challenges at the workplace and other issues of importance to the development of women in Ghana, with the senior journalists sharing their experiences in the field and their achievements over the years.
Challenges
They recounted the challenges confronting them at the workplaces, including working for long hours, sometimes deep into the night and at dawn, travelling to various parts of the country for stories and to organise events, and combining work and motherhood with very heavy work schedules.
Some complained that going for maternity leave could sometimes lead to job loss, while others were not considered for some schedules or positions perceived not to be gender-friendly.
Their individual accounts were critically important because they revealed them as exceptionally strong role models who shared a more expansive vision of what a woman can do.
Despite these challenges, the women saw the need to be focused in life and continue to remain resolute and work assiduously in whatever environment they found themselves in to develop their potential for the benefit of society.
Ms Alsup saw their stories and the choices they made as encouraging, since they gave a fuller understanding of the female experience and what women could accomplish today.
