‘Her Voice’ Initiative Seeks to Amplify Women Leaders in Northern Kenya Through Media Partnerships
Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) has trained journalists from Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu, Mandera, and Wajir on how to effectively engage with and cover women aspirants in their regions. Many women have traditionally avoided the media, while others lack an understanding of how it works and how they can use it to their advantage.
Mercy Njoroge of Journalists for Human Rights said the program, called Her Voice, aims to amplify the voices of women in the political arena and will run for the next six months.
Njoroge explained that women often stay away from the media because their stories are frequently sensationalized. During the training, journalists were equipped with ethical reporting skills and taught how to avoid gender stereotyping in their coverage.
She added that special elect members of the County Assembly and women leaders have been selected to take part in the project.
The initiative seeks to help women gain positive experiences with the media and discourage the sensationalization of women’s stories, which she said shifts audience attention from key issues to personalities.
According to Njoroge, the program’s hands-on approach will also improve media literacy among participating women.
Ann Kbare, a freelance journalist from Samburu, emphasized that women leaders should come forward so the media can help amplify their voices.
She noted that although many women are doing commendable work, they often lack the confidence to engage with the media. This, she said, prevents the public from fully appreciating the contributions women leaders are making in their communities.
Betty Luke, a journalist from Isiolo, added that while there is a strong need for women’s stories to be highlighted in the media, cultural barriers often hinder this effort. She explained that most women aspirants have not been working with the media, limiting public access to their perspectives and achievements.
Additionally, media experts emphasize that increasing the visibility of women within newsrooms—whether as reporters, editors, or media executives—is essential in transforming how women’s issues are covered. Greater representation fosters more balanced storytelling, encourages diverse perspectives, and helps challenge long-standing gender biases across the media landscape.