Media Leaders Pledge to #AccelerateAction on Gender Equality for IWD 2025, Call on Peers to Do the Same
To mark International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025, themed #AccelerateAction, members of the WAN-IFRA WIN Guild—a collective of top editors and publishers from the Women in News (WIN) community—have committed to a series of actions to drive gender equality in newsroom leadership.
This pledge responds to WAN-IFRA WIN’s findings that:
Fewer than 1 in 5 CEO/Publisher roles worldwide are held by women.
Just under 1 in 3 Editor-in-Chief/Editorial Director positions are occupied by women.
Guild Members’ Commitments
Collective Actions:
1. Mainstream mentorship programs within organizations, leveraging best practices.
2. Use collective influence to eliminate biased portrayals of women in the media.
3. Champion policy changes to ensure:
Equal opportunities, including equal pay.
Ending discrimination and sexual harassment.
A safe working environment.
Individual Actions:
1. Create a succession plan that includes competent women exposed to training opportunities.
2. Mentor two women within their organizations over the next 12 months.
Key Statements
Pamella Makotsi Sittoni (former Group Managing Editor, Nation Media Group, Kenya):
“This is not just a pledge; it’s our collective commitment to turning data into action. We’ve spent enough time identifying the problems. Now we’re taking control of the solutions – together.”
Melanie Walker (Founder & Executive Director, WAN-IFRA WIN):
“Fifteen years ago, a group like The Guild wouldn’t have been possible. We want to harness this collective power to accelerate progress.”
WAN-IFRA WIN Leadership Mapping Report 2024 Findings
Women hold only 24% of business and editorial leadership positions globally.
This represents a modest increase from 21% in 2022.
The report underscores the urgent need for action to close the gender gap in media leadership.
About WIN (Women in News)
Founded by WAN-IFRA in 2010, WIN operates in 30+ countries across Africa, Southeast Asia, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Arab Region.
It champions gender equality, inclusion, and financial sustainability in the media industry.
Website: www.womeninnews.org
About WAN-IFRA
The World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) is the world’s largest international press organization.
It represents 3,000 news publishing companies, 60 member associations, and 18,000 publications across 120 countries.
Its mission is to protect journalists’ rights and promote innovation in digital media.
Website: www.wan-ifra.org
Media Contact
Farah Wael
Director, Advocacy and Engagement, WIN
Email: farah.wael@womeninnews.org
For more details, visit:
New Initiative to Shift the Needle on Women’s Leadership in Media
