To mark International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025, themed #AccelerateAction, members of the WAN IFRA WIN Guild, a collection of top editors and publishers from the Women in News (WIN) community, have committed themselves to a series of collective and individual actions to move the dial on gender equality in newsroom leadership.
The pledge is in response to WAN-IFRA WIN’s latest findings that fewer than 1 in 5 CEO/Publisher roles worldwide are held by women, while just under 1 in 3 Editor-in-Chief/Editorial Director positions are occupied by women.
Guild members have committed to implementing the following as a collective: Mainstream mentorship programmes within our organizations, relying on best practice models of our peers within the Guild. Use our collective influence to work towards eliminating stereotypical and biased portrayals of women in our respective media houses.
Champion policy changes to end discrimination, ensure equal opportunities (including equal pay), stop sexual harassment, and ensure a safe working environment. Each has individually committed themselves to: Create a succession plan that includes competent women whom I will expose to training opportunities and put forward for promotion. Mentor two women in my organisation in the next 12 months.
“This is not just a pledge; it’s our collective commitment to turning data into action,” said Pamella Makotsi Sittoni, former Group Managing Editor, Nation Media Group, Kenya, and a member of the Guild. “We’ve spent enough time identifying the problems. Now we’re taking control of the solutions – together. This is about using our collective power to open up spaces for gender parity at the leadership table.”
They call on their peers in the media sector to do the same. The pledge’s launch coincides with the release of WAN-IFRA WIN’s Leadership Mapping Report for 2024, which reveals the persistent gender gap in media leadership. While some progress has been made, the report underscores the ongoing need for action, showing that the highest levels of media leadership are still disproportionately dominated by men.
Women hold 24% of business and editorial leadership positions, a modest increase from 21% in 2022. These findings make the Guild’s pledge even more critical — offering tangible, actionable steps to drive meaningful change.
“Fifteen years ago it would not have been possible to bring together a group such as The Guild. We simply could not see the numbers of women in media leadership. This is a bright spot for change, and we want to harness this collective power to accelerate our progress. With such an esteemed group of leaders to drive this forward, we can make a real difference and inspire others to follow suit,” said Melanie Walker, Founder and Executive Director of WAN-IFRA WIN.
Following an inaugural summit in Malawi in February, the WAN-IFRA WIN Guild – an initiative that brings together senior women in media leadership from across Africa, the Arab Region and Southeast Asia to champion inclusion and diversity in the industry – has developed a collective pledge aimed at driving real, systemic change in newsrooms. “This isn’t just about what we say; it’s about what we do. The pledge is a living, breathing commitment to break down these barriers,” Sittoni added.
