Source: the Herald
While a lot of women are being enrolled into media training and joining the journalism profession, precious few have reached top management. Women decision-makers make it possible and a lot easier for women reporters to grow their careers and see issues they value being put into print.
The dearth of women at top positions also significantly affects how women are treated in the newsrooms.
The country's largest media house, Zimbabwe Newspapers, recently announced the introduction of its gender policy set to address gender disparities both in terms of content and staffing.
This is a very welcome development.
While this may be met with a lot of scepticism given the long history of sexism in the newsrooms, we believe that this is a step in the right direction.
Many journalists with experience in both private and public media confirm that Zimpapers actually has better working conditions for female journalists compared to some private, independent media houses.
Before the announcement of the gender policy, Zimpapers had notably started correcting historical gender disparities in its staffing by encouraging women to take up leadership positions.
A few notable examples are the likes of Victoria Ruzvidzo, who was recently promoted to Managing Editor when a male counterpart occupying the position left.
Before this, Victoria was the executive business editor.
Several other women have been promoted into various editorial positions: Ruth Butaumocho is Entertainment Editor, Roselyn Sachiti -- Deputy Features Editor, Nomsa Nkala -- The Sunday Mail Deputy Editor and Sarah Tikiwa is Editor of Zim Travel magazine.
These firebrand women have demonstrated a truth some still prefer to ignore: that women can do any job just as well as men.
Women journalists are a critical pillar in bringing forth sensibilities that enrich news coverage.
Because women tend to see things differently, stories of human welfare, children, vulnerable and marginalised groups have taken on human faces and also found their way into even the most revered newspapers.
Women journalists are often on the frontlines on stories about gender discrimination, vulnerability, child abuse and social services.
In the days of old, women were just invisible from media coverage, and there was hardly a lot of positive coverage of issues affecting them.
Oftentimes, women made the headlines for all the wrong reasons; but thanks to the rise in women's page editors and women's columns -- women's concerns and interests are now being reflected.
Indeed, the state of women in journalism is one such whereby they no longer cover just the health and entertainment beats; but neither do they occupy the best seats in the house.
With a desire to see the condition of media women improve in Zimbabwe, the US Embassy Public Affairs Section in partnership with a local NGO, Humanitarian Information Facilitation Centre, since September 2011 have been supporting a unique one-year programme -- the Women Journalists Mentoring Programme for young Zimbabwean women journalists to develop better professional writing and leadership skills.
The structure of their programme includes one-on-one pairing with experienced mentors; group meetings and discussions with seasoned journalists from Zimbabwe and the United States; and specialised training sessions within and outside the country.
There are 30 female participants in the programme, drawn from various media houses, including ZBC, Zimpapers, Alpha Media, the Daily News and regional newspapers.
Such innovative ideas targeted at mentoring young women journalists to help them gain confidence, improve their reporting skills and take on higher-level responsibilities in their professional work and indeed, the media fraternity is commendable.
But what are women journalists doing to obtain key positions in the newsroom?
While some female journalists have been accused of being lazy and blaming patriarchy, others realise that media is a very tough and competitive industry in which they constantly have to rise to the occasion, and prove themselves.
Women should not expect to be handed a position simply because of their historically subjugated sex. Women have to break through countless barriers, but the positions are there for the taking now.
The majority of Zimbabwean professional women are smart but not power hungry, which probably explains why there are so few of them in the media and politics.
Hats off to organisations and institutions that are doing away with needless sexism and giving women space to make a difference.
ZWRCN Women Empowerment.