Women of Impact: Creating Safe Spaces for Female Journalists 

The Women of Impact Initiative, spearheaded by Nibakwe Edith, is reshaping Rwanda’s media landscape by addressing the often-overlooked challenges faced by female journalists. At the heart of the initiative lies the Gender Café, a platform designed to foster open dialogue, build solidarity, and create actionable solutions to combat sexual harassment and GBV in media workplaces. 

The Gender Café is more than just a gathering—it is a safe space for female journalists to share their stories, explore collective challenges, and identify strategies for change. Through facilitated discussions, participants delve into the realities of harassment and inequality, while also seeking ways to promote gender-sensitive practices within their profession. 

Key stakeholders, including media leaders, legal experts, and law enforcement representatives, join these sessions to provide advice and actionable recommendations. By bridging perspectives, the Gender Café helps empower journalists to speak up, advocate for their rights, and foster accountability in the media industry. 

The Media Gender Café, held on September 19, 2024, at Century Park Hotel, brought together 25 participants, including chief editors, journalism students, and representatives from women’s media associations. 

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DR. YEMISI AKINBOBOLA

C.E.O & Co-founder, AWiM

Dr Yemisi Akinbobola is an award-winning journalist, academic, consultant and co-founder of African Women in Media (AWiM). AWiM’s vision is that one-day African women will have equal access to representation in media. Joint winner of the CNN African Journalist Award 2016 (Sports Reporting), Yemisi ran her news website IQ4News between 2010-14.
Yemisi holds a PhD in Media and Cultural Studies from Birmingham City University, where she is a Senior Lecturer. She has published scholarly research on women’s rights, African feminism, and journalism and digital public spheres. She was Editorial Consultant for the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 commemorative book titled “She Stands for Peace: 20 Years, 20 Journeys”, and currently hosts the book’s podcast.
She speaks regularly on issues relating to gender and media. In 2021 she was recognized as one of 100 Most Influential African Women.