GEM summit logoEmpowering women in and through the media – Providing a voice for gender equality, 18-19 August 2016, Windhoek, Namibia. 
Gem Summit 2016 Concept paper,
Download the Gender and Media Summit Programme

Download the keynote statement by the Right Honourable Dr. Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia at the summit.

Botswana | Zimbabwe

Meet the winners

Photojournalism – Winner
Thoko Chikondi from Nation Publications Limited, Malawi
Thoko Chikondi
Thoko Chikondi is an award winning Malawian photojournalist who is passionate about telling the untold stories of women and children through imagery. Her work seeks to highlight their plight and suggest solutions to their problems. Chikondi was the CTA/NEPAD 2011 Southern Africa Award winner for her photographs on the involvement of youth and women in ICTs and Climate Change. In 2012, she received a Copyright Society of Malawi award for best female photojournalist in Malawi. In November 2015, Chikondi received a World Bank award for her photographs on how to end poverty in Malawi. She works as a photojournalist at local daily publisher; Nation Publications Limited where she has been for over three years. View entry
Print – Winner
Joseph Mwale from Nation Publications Limited, Malawi
Joseph Mwale
Joseph Mwale is a 29 year old Malawian journalist, with five years of experience of editing and writing for print, electronic and online media. Currently working as Bureau Supervisor for Nation Publications Limited in the Northern City of Mzuzu, Malawi, Mwale has special interest in writing stories that expose ills against vulnerable/special interest groups. Previously, Mwale worked as Subeditor at Capital Radio Malawi and  Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ) FM radio, Head of News and Current Affairs at Matindi FM and Deputy Regional Information Officer and Editor for the Government  of Malawi’s News Agency- Malawi News Agency in Southern Malawi. In 2011, while at MIJ FM, he crossed paths with authorities in Malawi, his house was attacked, political thugs were after his life and he had to run to Zambia to save his life. The award winning, fearless, versatile and hardworking Joseph, holds a bachelors degree in Journalism from the University of Malawi. View entry
Print – Runner Up
Jairos Saunyama from News Day, Zimbabwe
Jairos Saunyama
Jairos Saunyama is a 29-year old Zimbabwean journalist who has six years experience in the media industry. He is also a multiple award winning journalist having won six national awards within five years of journalism practise in Zimbabwe. He is the current Gender Based Violence Reporter of the Year. He has been writing articles on gender and all the issues that affects rural women in his home country. View entry
Television – Winner
Pennipher Sikainda-Nyirenda from Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, Zambia
Pennipher Sikainda Nyirenda
Pennipher Sikainda-Nyirenda is a practicing journalist currently working with the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) in Lusaka. She is specialised in news coverage and documentaries covering a cross section of themes that include business, gender and environment. At ZNBC, Sikainda Nyirenda works under the Current Affairs Unit which has a mandate to produce news documentaries. She also doubles as a TV Presenter and News Anchor. At the age of 28, Pennipher has been in journalism practice for 10 years with a career highlight of interviewing US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2011. View entry
Television – Runner Up
Avinash Bissoondoyal from Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation, Mauritius
Avinash
Avinash Bissoondoyal is a producer with 16 years of experience at the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation He is engaged in the production of documentaries and current affairs program of his country. Has been actively producing subjects relating to Mauritian society/ He has also produced various documentaries for worldwide broadcasts. He is at present engaged in the production and presentation of a fortnightly TV show “Pran Kont”,aiming at helping and sensitising the Mauritian population on challenges facing the society. View entry
Radio – Winner
Aurelie Gabriel from Radio Kwizera FM, Tanzania
Aurelie Gabriel
Aurelie Gabriel, (26) works at Radio Kwizera Fm situated in Kagera region in Tanzania. She has been working with this media house for a year now. Before she worked with Radio Sauti Mwanza while undertaking her undergraduate degree at St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT). She is working as the assistant chief editor. Gabriel has interests in gender issues with a focus on women’s issues because she needs to see women’s progression in different issues. Apart from being a journalist, she is also an activist on women’s issues, and has produced a song Called ‘Mwanamke’ in swahili language which promotes woman dignity in society because women need to have a voice like men and not to be humiliated. Her dreams and wishes are to reach far in this industry of journalism by producing a lot of programs that impact on the society, especially being the voice of the voiceless. View entry
Radio – Runner Up
Nathalie Didier from Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation, Mauritius
Nathalie Didier
Nathalie Didier is a radio presenter at Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) since 1991. She is Host on the radio programme ETRE FEMME on KOOL FM Monday to Friday 11.00 to 13 00. View entry
Leadership – Winner
Ts’epang Ts’ita-Mosena from BAM Media, Lesotho
Ntsepang Mosena BAM Media Institutional
Tsepang Tsita Mosena is one of the owners of BAM Media Group operating from Maseru in Lesotho. She has always had a passion to prove that women can make it, this intensity is fuelled by our patriarchal society.  She did an undergraduate degree in Computer Science & Physics in a class of 26 where only 3 were female. Upon graduating she pursued a career in ICTs. She was hired in a Young Professionals’ Programme in UNESCO (Paris) as the only girl from Lesotho in 2000. View entry,
Leadership – Runner Up
Tshwelelo Mogotsi from GabzFM, Botswana
Tswelelo Mogotsi
Tshwelelo Mogotsi is a content editor covering online and broadcasting media. Mogotsi has worked at Gabzfm for over 10 years. Mogotsi has a keen interest in gender issues. He studied journalism. View entry.
Institutional – Winner
BAM Media Lesotho View entry

The Post -2015 era is here! The media will play a frontline role in shaping attitudes, norms and perceptions in achieving and contributing to gender equality.

The Southern African Broadcasting Association (SABA), Gender Links and the GMDC hereby announce the launch of the 2016 “Empowering women in and through the media-Providing a voice for gender equality” Awards, as part of the fifth Gender and Media Summit. The Awards are in the fields of leadership, Institutional practice, as well as in-depth Print, Radio, and Television publications and production. The summit will witness the launch of the Southern African chapter of the Global Alliance on Media and Gender (GAMAG).

Against the backdrop of the second Gender and Media Progress Study, and in this first year of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this summit gives an opportunity to take stock and reposition post-2015. It also serves to inspire and empower women in the media.

For more information contact:

mediaofficer@genderlinks.org.za or phone 00 27 (11) 622 2877