• WIN said the results echo those of a report by Reuters in 2022, on women and leadership in news media that found that women occupy 21 per cent of the top editorial positions.
• Reuters research covered 240 online and offline outlets in 12 different markets, overlapping with WIN research on Kenya.
Image: STAR
Kenya is among five of 17 countries in Africa, Arab and Southern- Asia regions that have no women in the highest business positions in media.
This is according to a 2022 report by the WAN-IFRA Women in News, the 'Media Leadership Mapping' that was analysed in major news outlets from the aforementioned regions.
The other four countries are Somalia, Rwanda, Palestine and Jordan.
The report said only 10 per cent of business leadership positions were held by women. These positions include CEOs and board chairpersons.
In all of the 17 markets, none exceeded 25 per cent in the number of women in top business positions. The Philippines led with 22 per cent.
"On the editorial front, women make up just 31 per cent of editorial leads, which covers positions like those of the editor-in-chief or executive editor," WIN said.
The report showed that in two countries, editorial positions favoured women.
They included the Philippines with 78 per cent of women Chief-Editors and Zambia with 57 per cent.
In Somalia, no woman held a top editorial position.
The report further said in the Arab region, an average of one in five of the most senior editorial positions is filled by a woman.
"This is against a slightly better average in Africa and Southeast Asia, where women hold one in three senior editorial positions," it added.
WIN said the results echo those of a report by Reuters in 2022, on women and leadership in news media that found that women occupy 21 per cent of the top editorial positions.
Reuters research covered 240 online and offline outlets in 12 different markets, overlapping with WIN research on Kenya.
Acknowledging that women are underrepresented in newsroom leadership, WIN said for the issue to be solved news organisations need focused succession planning.
"Correcting the imbalance in leadership must be a deliberate strategy," it said.
WIN added:
"Organisations need to think about who they’re hiring next as leaders and prepare a pipeline of women who they can groom into these positions."
It said women journalists receive insufficient support in developing their skills.
The report added that there are factors that have led to them resigning from the media prematurely, pointing out gender-specific challenges including sexual harassment, unequal pay and threats of violence.
Advocating strategic succession plans, WIN said studies have established that where women are given the top leadership positions, there have been improved financial performance, strengthened organisational climates, and increased corporate social responsibility and reputation among other advantages.
"The ethical and moral case for equal ratios of women and men in media leadership is indisputable – so is the business case," WIN said.