Why this work matters

With its original slogan “gender equality in and through the media” GL has been at the forefront of shaping a vibrant gender and media movement in the region. Media can reinforce inequality or drive change – yet women remain just 21% of news sources in Southern Africa. Gender Links uses research-driven, locally rooted approaches to shift narratives and influence global standards, including through leadership in the Global Alliance on Media and Gender.

Gender Links has played a key role in driving and bringing together cross-cutting policy and practice.

• Groundbreaking research informing media training, advocacy and policy, including the Gender and Media Progress Study (GMPS), the most extensive longitudinal media study in the region.
• Gender-aware journalism training: on-demand consultancies; media partnerships; thematic workshops, especially addressing reporting gaps, such as SRHR, women’s political participation and economic inclusion; and developing training tools available in our Knowledge Hub.
• Building networks and lasting partnerships with media, researchers, academics and activists through initiatives such as Centres of Excellence (COE) with 108 media outlets, the Gender and Media Diversity Centre, and the Gender in Media Education (GIME) network.
• SADC Gender and Media Summits, a vibrant platform for over a decade celebrating excellence in gender-aware journalism, enabling peer learning, and mobilising collective action across countries and sectors.