Embracing the Future: Uganda Media Week 2023 Explores Public Interest, AI, and the Evolution of Journalism

Set to take place from November 9th, 2023, the 5th Uganda Media Week Conference, hosted by Media Focus on Africa Uganda, promises an illuminating journey into the future of journalism. Under the theme “Public Interest, AI, and the Future of Journalism,” this conference is poised to revolutionize the landscape of media.

The event will convene a gathering of distinguished experts, influential voices, and industry insiders, fostering discussions around crucial topics. Panel discussions will explore the role of effective reporting in strengthening democratic accountability, creating an inclusive internet environment for women in media, deciphering the implications of AI in the realm of journalism, and confronting online gender-based violence.

Uganda Media Week 2023 is not just a conference; it’s an avenue for transformative conversations and knowledge exchange. Brace yourself for engaging dialogues that offer critical insights into the future of media and journalism in Uganda.

For more information please reachout to us via ruth@mediafocusonafrica.org

or Call +256393248341

KENYA 2022 ELECTIONS: FINDING THE GENDER BALANCE

We are effectively into the election year. Kenya’s general election are due to be held in August 2022. In the last few weeks there’s been a heightening of political activities across the country. As with every electoral cycle, the issue of participation and representation of women will come into sharp focus. The constitution requires that not more than two thirds of the members of any elective body consist of one gender. 11 years after the constitution was passed, this threshold is far from being realized. Following the 2017 election, women made up 7.9% of elected MPs (from the 290 constituencies), 6.4% of Governors and Senators and 6.6% of elected MCAs. Regionally (East Africa) Kenya lags behind in the representation of women.

A variety of reasons account for the low representation of Kenyan women in political leadership. Top of the pile is the impact of age old social-cultural norms that define gender roles in our communities.  This has proved a major hindrance to women achieving political leadership. Political campaigns tend to be quite expensive. A study estimated the cost of running for an MP seat in 2017 to range between 20-35 million Kenya shillings. Due to socio-cultural norms that govern ownership and access to property and capital, women are greatly disadvantaged when it comes to raising resources for campaigning.

High media visibility of political candidates contributes to likelihood of success, but women candidates are less visible in the media. A 2019 global study commissioned by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, found that men remain the vast majority of quoted experts and sources in political news coverage and that the share of voice by men is 7 times that of women. The male dominance of political leadership spaces means that male candidates in competition with female candidates benefit from the unconscious bias of the voters i.e. voters unconsciously equate political leadership with men. The dominance also means that male candidates have abundance of role models to learn and get inspiration from. Female candidates competing with male candidates for the same seat and with similar qualifications and experience must work at least twice as hard to compete favorably.

As we head towards the August 2022 election, the need to increase the number of elected women representatives across the board has never been more apparent. In order for this to happen, female candidates for election require a lot of support. Strategic election planning training can make a significant contribution towards the success of female candidates in election. This refers to the capacity to approach electoral campaigning strategically. It involves analysis and use of data on demographics, past elections and voter trends to inform a candidate’s campaign plan. Strategic election planning allows a candidate to efficiently and effectively utilize limited resources and time during campaigns while greatly increasing the chances of success. Female candidates for election can also greatly benefit from increased visibility as a result of effective branding and messaging using digital/social media platforms. Digital/social media can be a useful alternative platform for visibility for female candidates during the campaigns. Proper branding on these platforms can also lead to getting noticed and profiled on traditional media which ultimately leads to getting known by more electorates. Learning from, inspiration and motivation by senior elected female colleagues can also add great value to female candidates running for election, particularly for those running for the first time.

With funding from the Canada High Commission’s Fund for Local Initiative, Media Focus on Africa (MFA) is embarking on a project to support 20 women aspirants for various elective seats from the counties of Narok, Nyandarua, West Pokot and Kajiado. The goal of the project is “Strengthening the democratic participation of women in Kenya”.   These 4 counties were chosen because they are among those counties in Kenya that have some of the least numbers of elected women throughout Kenya’s history. The support in form of training will expose the women to Strategic election planning and digital media skills for campaigning. In addition the women shall receive motivation and inspiration from elected female colleagues. The project will run for the next 4-6 months.

This project is in line with MFA‘s priority focus area of gender equality. Over the last 5 years, MFA has implemented a number of exciting and successful projects on gender equality including the recently aired popular TV series ‘Ms President’. Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls is at the core of the government of Canada International Policy- the Feminist International Assistance Policy.

Image courtesy of UN.

BARRIERS WOMEN FACE WHEN RUNNING FOR POLITICAL OFFICES

On July 29, 2021, The Canadian High Commission and Media Focus on Africa engaged in discussions with Ms President participants who will be vying for elective seats in the 2022 elections in Kenya. These discussions are part of Canada’s and MFA’s objective to promote and support women’s political participation. These discussions are going to take place over a period of months in the lead up to the elections.

In the discussions held at the High Commissioners Residence, the commission and MFA sought to understand the individual journey of the women, their experiences in their quest for leadership, the strategies they were putting in place and the barriers women face when they run for office.

Some of the conversations are captured in short video. Watch HERE

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Media Focus on Africa
Media Focus on Africa3 weeks ago
On this day, a year ago, we proudly announced Angel Mbuthia as the winner of Ms President. A true embodiment of leadership, grace, and resilience. Her journey continues to inspire us all.

#MsPresident
Media Focus on Africa
Media Focus on Africa3 weeks ago
Curious to learn about the tangible impact of our #MsPresident program? Dive into the numbers, stories, and lessons learned in our comprehensive new report. Be inspired by the change driven by women leaders!

https://mediafocusonafrica.org/annual-reports/
Media Focus on Africa
Media Focus on Africa3 weeks ago
Insights From the Recently Concluded Community Dialogues: Over the past few months, a series of impactful community dialogues took place in various counties across Kenya including, Homabay, Kisii, Kericho, Samburu, Embu, Kajiado, and Wajir. Read on below.

https://mediafocusonafrica.org/?news=empowering-communities-insights-from-the-recently-concluded-community-dialogues

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Media Focus on Africa Uganda5 days ago
📢 Breaking the Silence! Jan Ajwang, our team leader, takes the stage at AWiM23 to discuss "Policies and strategies against gender-based violence in media organizations." Join us in the conversation as we work towards responsible reporting and a media landscape free from GBV. #AWiM23 #MediaEmpowerment #EndGBV
Media Focus on Africa Uganda
Media Focus on Africa Uganda6 days ago
Empowering women starts with giving them a voice. MFA is using media to amplify the voices of female journalists, breaking the silence on gender-based violence.

#EndGBV #16DaysOfActivism
Media Focus on Africa Uganda
Media Focus on Africa Uganda6 days ago
Online Gender Based violence against women means that women don't have the liberty to enjoy the benefits of the internet. As a media house, journalist, editor, - what are you doing t make online spaces safe for women in Media?
#16daysofactivism
Media Focus on Africa Uganda
Media Focus on Africa Uganda3 weeks ago
🎉 Celebrating 5 Years of Media Brilliance at Uganda Media Week! 🎉
As the curtains fall on the 5th edition of Uganda Media Week, it's not just an event's culmination but a reflection on an incredible five-year journey of shaping the media landscape. From its humble inception to the resounding success of this year's conference, Uganda Media Week has evolved into a powerhouse of knowledge, collaboration, and innovation.

🌟 A Journey of Excellence: Five years ago (In 2019), we embarked on a mission – to create a platform where media professionals, thought leaders and enthusiasts could converge, share insights, and chart the course for the future of journalism. What unfolded exceeded our wildest expectations. Each edition has been a unique tapestry of conversations, learnings, and collaborations that have pushed the boundaries of media excellence.

🙏 Gratitude to All Contributors: To the speakers who've graced our stages, your wisdom has been the guiding light illuminating the path of our discussions. To the attendees, your enthusiasm and engagement have breathed life into every session. A heartfelt thank you to our sponsors and partners whose unwavering support has been the bedrock of our success.

🚀 Looking Back, Looking Forward: As we celebrate the past, we also cast our eyes forward. The next five years hold immense promise and potential. We're committed to furthering our impact, pushing the boundaries of media, journalism and innovation, and elevating the voices that matter. The future of journalism is an open narrative, waiting to be written, and we're excited to script it together.

🎤 Join the Movement: Uganda Media Week is not just an event; it's a movement, a community of passionate individuals united by a common purpose – to redefine the narrative of media. As we embark on the journey ahead, we invite you to be a part of this exciting chapter. Your voice, your insights, and your stories are integral to the ongoing evolution of media excellence.

🥂 Here's to Five Years of Media Excellence, and to Many More! 🌐 #journalism #MediaMattersUG #UgandaMediaWeek
Media Focus on Africa Uganda
Media Focus on Africa Uganda3 weeks ago
Reflecting on the success of Uganda Media Week 2023 fills us with immense gratitude. Our exceptional speakers, engaged participants, and dedicated sponsors have collectively elevated the discourse on media excellence. I extend my heartfelt thanks to each person who contributed to this transformative event. Your passion and commitment have set a new standard for what's achievable in the realm of media. Let's continue to push boundaries and shape the future of journalism together. #MediaMattersUG

JamiiForums - DW Akademie - HRNJ-Uganda - Pollicy
Media Focus on Africa Uganda
Media Focus on Africa Uganda4 weeks ago
⏳ Time's ticking! Its tommorow!🌟
Media houses, schools, #media owners, public servants and other key stakeholders in the media will be in one place -discussing "Public Interest, Ai & the Future of Journalism" at the #UgandaMediaWeek2023 conference.
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#MediaMattersUG

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