The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) today
announced the first annual MISA’s Women to Watch, to mark International
Women’s Day, which is celebrated around the world on 8 March each year.
MISA is honoring 12 dynamic and inspirational southern
African women who embody both the official United Nations theme for
International Women’s Day 2014 - Equality for women is progress for all
– as well as the theme designated by non-governmental organisations around the
world – Inspiring Change.
The 12 women, who are all under the age of 40, are profiled
in an electronic magazine available on MISA’s website, www.misa.org.
MISA Regional Director, Ms Zoe Titus said, “We chose women
who we see as rising stars in the region, women whose achievements todate are a
promise of more great work to come, making them women to watch.”
“From a beauty queen-turned-UN communications specialist; to
an art photographer challenging mainstream ideals of beauty; to a human rights
lawyer fighting for freedom of expression, the twelve women profiled in this
publication are all contributing, in their own unique and creative ways, to
making southern Africa a more conducive environment for media freedom and
improving the ability of all people – including the vulnerable and marginalised
in our communities – to access their right to freedom ofexpression” said Ms.
Titus.
The women profiled in the publication are:
Alisa Amupolo, a
technology entrepreneur from Namibia;
Ana Margoso, a
newspaper journalist from Angola;
Chikondi Mphande, a
radio journalist from Malawi;
Emma Theofelus, a
high school student from Namibia who is the Junior Mayor of the City of
Windhoek;
Hoyce Temu, a
communications specialist and former Miss Tanzania;
Jean Chalungama, a
radio journalist from Malawi and one of the only female sports
journalists in the country;
Mboni Masimba, a
talk show host from Tanzania;
Mwiza Zulu, a
teenage radio and television presenter in Zambia;
Nellie Kanyemba, a
journalist from Malawi;
Nontobeko Tshabala, a
newspaper journalist from Swaziland;
Nyasha Chingore-Munazvo,
a human rights lawyer from South Africa; and
Solange Dos Santos, a
photographer from Mozambique.
The official UN theme for International Women’s Day 2014 is
“Equality for women is progress for all," and the Secretary-General of the
United Nations, Ban Ki Moon, highlighted the significance of this theme in his
annual International Women’s Day message:
“Countries with more gender equality have better economic
growth. Companies with more women leaders perform better. Peace
agreements that include women are more durable. Parliaments with more
women enact more legislation on key social issues such as health, education,
anti-discrimination and child support.”
Ms Titus said, “I would add to this that countries with more
women in the media have a better chance of reflecting the voices of all members
of their populations, of achieving greater participation of women and of
providing fair and balanced reporting on women’s issues and rights”.
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