Breaking Barriers: Women in East African Media Defy Stereotypes, But Challenges Remain
The study highlighted a trend toward progressive framing, with 50% of articles portraying women as leaders or glass-ceiling breakers.
Study by the Aga Khan Foundation highlights growing visibility of women in East African media, but reveals ongoing underrepresentation in leadership and key news beats like politics and business.
By Robert Assad
A recent study by the Aga Khan Foundation has revealed a mixed but promising landscape for women in East African media.
While women are increasingly visible as news anchors and reporters, they remain underrepresented in leadership roles and are often sidelined in critical news beats like politics and business.
Women in the Newsroom: Progress and Gaps
The report, titled The State of Women in the Media, analyzed 1,256 newspaper articles, 169 TV news stories, and 47 digital platform stories across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
It found that women make up nearly half of the newsroom workforce in Tanzania (46%) and Uganda (44%), but their presence in editorial and business leadership remains dismal—only 20% in Kenya and 33% in Uganda hold such roles.
“Women are anchoring prime-time news and hosting radio shows, but their voices are missing where decisions are made,” noted Dr. Hesbon Owilla, the lead researcher. “This disparity reflects broader societal barriers.”
Visibility vs. Voice: The Headline Paradox
Despite their growing presence, women are frequently absent from headline stories. In Uganda, 55% of front-page stories excluded women, while Tanzanian newspapers fared slightly better at 39%. Kenya led with 73% of headlines featuring women, but only 16% of opinion pieces were authored by female journalists.
“Women are often quoted as victims or heroines, not as experts,” said media analyst Linda Omondi. “When they do appear, it’s usually in soft news or feature stories, not hard-hitting political or economic coverage.”
Framing the Narrative: Progress and Pitfalls
The study highlighted a trend toward progressive framing, with 50% of articles portraying women as leaders or glass-ceiling breakers.
However, traditional stereotypes persist: – Tanzania: 24% of stories depicted women in homemaker roles, the highest in the region. – Uganda: TV stories disproportionately framed women as subservient (43%). – Kenya: Female journalists were more likely to cover women as victims (19%) or heroines (16%).
A Call for Change
Experts urge media houses to:
1. Promote women to leadership roles to shape inclusive narratives.
2. Invest in training for female journalists to cover “hard beats” like politics and economics.
3. Audit gender bias in storytelling to avoid reinforcing stereotypes.
“As East Africa’s media grows, so must its commitment to gender equality,” concluded Owilla. “The numbers are improving, but the fight for equitable representation is far from over.”
The report surveyed 64 media organizations in Uganda, 53 in Kenya, and 81 in Tanzania over three months in 2023.
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