Women in the media worldwide and parities in Sierra Leone

According to the Global Media Monitoring Project, women are much less likely to appear as experts in the media, give interviews and be sources of information. In 2020, women appeared in about ¼ of TV, radio, print and online news. Due to gender bias, they are less often seen as experts, e.g. in science and economics. In an analysis of coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in primary news sources in the US, UK and Australia, women were quoted only ⅓ of the time and gave ¼ of the interviews on public health and epidemiology. Failure to include their voices reinforces stereotypes and removes the opportunity to acknowledge their knowledge and experience.

In Sierra Leone, a Gender Equality Act has been passed, which, among other provisions, guarantees women in the public and private sectors 30% of jobs. This includes managerial positions, not just lower-level positions. The law provides women with 14 weeks of maternity leave and equal pay and training opportunities. Employers who break the law can be fined up to $2,600.

Male and female players in the Wales men’s and women’s football teams will receive the same pay for playing for their country’s national team. The contract with the Football Association of Wales runs until the 2026 men’s World Cup and the 2027 women’s championship tournament. The men’s team will be paid 25 per cent less than before, allowing for an identical increase for the women’s team.