“Newsrooms Still Unsafe for Women” WONGOSO Demands Media Reform, Blasts Gender Inequality in Liberia’s Press
Odarty Blackie
Monrovia, Liberia: The Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSO) has renewed calls for sweeping reforms in Liberia’s media sector, urging media institutions to create safer work environments and expand leadership opportunities for women journalists.
The call was made by WONGOSO Executive Director, Eyeah David Yango, during a retreat organized by the Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FeJAL), held under the theme“Strengthening Women’s Leadership and Representation, Building Supportive Workspaces for Growth in the Media.”
The retreat brought together women journalists, media managers, and development partners to examine the daily challenges confronting women in journalism and explore practical solutions to improve working conditions in newsrooms across the country.
“Women journalists are not just reporters,” Yango said. “They are drivers of public debate, accountability, and democratic growth.”
While commending FeJAL for what she described as consistent and fearless leadership in promoting women’s safety, visibility, and influence in the media space, Yango warned that systemic discrimination remains deeply rooted.
She cited limited access to leadership positions, unequal pay, sexual harassment, online abuse, and newsroom cultures that silence women’s voices as persistent challenges facing female journalists.
“These problems cannot be solved by personal resilience alone,” Yango stressed. “They require deliberate and sustained institutional action.”
Yango urged media institutions to move beyond symbolic inclusion and instead invest in genuine leadership development for women, including mentorship programs, career advancement opportunities, and participation in editorial and management decision making
