UN Women Sierra Leone in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Association of Women in Journalism (SLAWIJ) has conducted a one-day training on women’s participation in public life, gender stereotypes in media, and social media for women journalists.

The training featured 35 participants (female and male journalists) drawn across all districts in Sierra Leone held on the 11th of November 2022 at the Country Lodge Hotel at Hill Station in Freetown.

Lead trainer, Ms. Soulef Guessoum, UN Women Regional Advisor based in Senegal Dakar presented on the topic: the role of the media and social media in shaping women in politics image, violence against women in politics: what is the role of mainstream media practitioners.

Representative of SLAWIJ’s Executive President, Madam Mariama Sowe thanked UN Women, particularly the head of office in Sierra Leone for their support. She added that their association’s primary focus is women, and it uses the media as a tool to advance issues that affect them.

“SLAWIJ recognizes that gender inequality and inequity undermine the effectiveness of development and it also recognizes that media is a powerful tool for social change and agenda-setting”, she said.

UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress in meeting their needs worldwide.