Khadijah Aliyu -Nigeria
Women leaders, media professionals, and gender advocates from across Africa and the diaspora have emphasised the need for deeper collaboration, improved media representation, and sustained advocacy to advance gender equality.
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They shared their reflections during the 2025 African Women in Media (AWiM) Conference, held at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa.
Rachel Onomusi, a UK-based Nigerian media executive and founder of VN SYNC Media & Digital Telecommunications Agency, described the conference as phenomenal and transformative.
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Onomusi, who also serves as the Faculty Lead for Women in Tech Nigeria, said the gathering showcased the power of women coming together to create lasting change.
“I have seen women from radio, TV, newspapers, digital media and beyond coming together to discuss not just our concerns, but what the future holds”
“The greatest highlight for me was the emphasis on collaboration and co-creation, as well as making sure our policies have real impact.”
She also shared her key takeaway from the event:
“Start where you are, with what you have. You never know what it could grow into.”
Onomusi called for sustained collaboration beyond conferences and urged women to “walk the talk” by turning discussions into real-world impact.
Malika Grant, co-founder of Adventures from the Bedrooms of African Women/Massy Media, said attending AWiM for the first time exceeded her expectations.
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Grant presented a screening of Adventures 2 a project reframing youth education around sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
“The friendliness, the collaboration, the energy everything was perfect. Ten out of ten, I cannot wait to return for the 10th anniversary.”
Grant noted one key area for improvement: time management, as some panel discussions were cut short due to delays.
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When asked to summarise her overall impression of the conference in one word, she responded:
“Powerful.”
A programme specialist working on ending violence against women and girls, Lindiwe Mugabe, said the conference arrived at a crucial moment, as the women’s movement faces increasing pushback across the continent.
“This space was exactly what we needed. There has been backlash and regression on gender equality, but this gathering brought solidarity and sisterhood, if we maintain this momentum, the media fraternity will go far.”
Her biggest hope post-conference is improved visibility for women and girls in the media.
“ I want to see women’s voices reflected better, with more stories on their lived realities influencing policy shifts especially at institutions like the African Union Commission.”
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Across all conversations, a collective message emerged: Women’s voices must remain centred, their stories must be told authentically, and media must play a proactive role in shaping equitable narratives.
The attendees expressed optimism that the collaborations formed at AWiM 2025 will continue to grow and strengthen advocacy efforts across Africa.