FIRST MENTORSHIP
PROGRAMME TO INSPIRE, ASPIRING FEMALE JOURNALISTS It is an exclusive six-month training programme that is teamed with online training to empower women in Fiji’s media industry.
Female journalists in Fiji have another avenue to grow in their career, thanks to the launch of the Women in Media Fiji Mentoring project.
The project is a pilot mentoring initiative of the Women in Media Fiji (WiM) - an initiative of the Fijian Media Association (FMA) supported by the Australian Government.
It is an exclusive six-month training programme that is teamed with online training to empower women in Fiji’s media industry.
New Australia High Commission Charge de Affairs Stuart Watts said gender equality was top priority for the Australian government in developing new policies.
“Our foreign minister, when she speaks about this is in terms of our new development policies which will come out soon, it’s absolutely top priority for us and this is not a choice, it’s a must for us,” Mr Watts said.
“And when we look around the region, it gives us the chance to help other countries pursue their national interests and empower people. And I think for us, that’s what’s driving our commitment to this.”
Twenty mentees from mainstream media organisations in Fiji have been selected.
Way forward
Last Friday, WiM Fiji hosted a mentors and mentees meet-up at the Greenhouse Studio in Suva.
A panel discussion was held at the event where former journalist and gender, social inclusion and communications specialist Ana Laqeretabua shared her media experience in Fiji. Mrs Laqeretabua started as a journalist in 1987 when she was 18 yearsold. She worked at the old Fiji Sun newspaper.
She said mentees were fortunate to have an opportunity to have structured mentoring for women journalists.
She said the mentoring programme would be a valuable experience to learn the tricks of the trade.
Looking back
“At that time we had typewriters; none of these computers that you guys have,” Mrs Laqeretabua said.
“So the way that they will train us is, if your story doesn’t make sense, you just get the copy thrown back to you and you get to rewrite it. And until you were able to rewrite your story, you didn’t go home.”
WiM Fiji co-founder Rosi Doviverata said given the recent repeal of the Media Industry Development Authority (MIDA) Act, journalists had a lot to learn and also unlearn.
“For the 20 mentees selected for the programme, this is a great opportunity to grow professionally,” she said.
Mentors include senior journalists, communications experts, university lecturers and entrepreneurs in both Fiji and Australia.
There are more than 50 members of WiM Fiji, primarily journalists with five years or less experience in the sector.
Those at the event were told that despite women journalists making up the majority in mainstream newsrooms, they are often overlooked for senior positions because of a combination of low self-esteem and extra responsibilities outside of work. A survey conducted earlier on since WiM Fiji started last February, revealed that mentoring was a critical need in the sector, with members seeking guidance and support.
WiM Fiji’s mentoring programme was inspired by WiM Australia’s programme - which had been running for a number of years.
The project is expected to run for six months and aims to help members advance their careers, take on leadership roles, and build strong professional networks.