The ‘Women’s Institute for Freedom of the Press’ in Washington DC, USA has selected Birgitte Jallov to receive an award at this year’s ceremony for her work in strengthening women’s opportunities to have a voice in the media. The institute’s leadership has emphasized that they want to present her this award precisely this year, where they celebrate the institute’s 50th anniversary. 

Birgitte’s work in more than 70 countries has always combined a focus on the fact that women can and must have a role and a voice when the world is interpreted, and where the future is planned. She has done this by supporting local communities in many African and Asian countries in their work to create their own local community radio stations, where women have always been an equal and significant part of both planning, management and implementation; and she has been a mentor and coach when many small women’s organizations had to find their way forward with strategic planning, inclusive management and sustainable frameworks. 

Birgitte currently uses, among other things, time to support women journalists in Moldova build up a ‘digital safe house’: a one-stop shop where journalists can report when they experience online and offline harassment and threats of the worst kinds… At the moment it’s mostly Putin’s ‘troll army’ trying to scare especially female journalists from writing the truth about what is happening in Ukraine and what impact the war has on Moldova. In the digital safe house, there is access to advice and counselling, to addresses where help can be found and to a supportive community. It is, among other things, this work Birgitte will work with when in November she is involved as a speaker and workshop facilitator during the IAWRT biennial conference in Zanzibar, Tanzania. 

Birgitte runs EMPOWERHOUSE, an initiative she founded almost 20 years ago, as a framework for her work. In addition to advising, evaluating development projects, lecturing and training, Birgitte has written books, manuals, policy documents and articles about her work areas and experiences.

The new IAWRT International Board will join the current board as observers and take the reins of IAWRT at the November biennial in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Executive:

President

Dr. Michelle Ferrier (USA chapter)

Executive director, Media Innovation Collaboratory; founder, Trollbusters.

Link: https://vimeo.com/743797005/d80bb21f16

Vice President

Jola Mamangun (Philippines chapter)

Executive Director, Kodao Productions and present IAWRT International Treasurer

Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsnaejFVFPM

Secretary

Mandira Raut (Nepal chapter)

Founder/C.E.O., UTSAH Learning Center; President, UTSAH Nepal (Volunteer Professional Youth Trainer on Non-formal education; Working as freelance Producer and Director-TV/Radio Production;

Link to video: https://youtu.be/LcH2Dxdu3go

Treasurer

Josephine Karani (Kenya chapter)

Seasoned / career broadcast journalist & Chairperson, IAWRT Kenya Chapter

Link to Audio: Link: https://on.soundcloud.com/

Board members

Kreshma Fakhri (Afghanistan chapter – exiled in Turkey)

Freelance journalist and investigative team leader for the Zan Times (volunteer)

Video link: https://youtu.be/puCzGYWWJ7A

Anjali Monteiro (India chapter)

Filmmaker, teacher and author, retired from academia in 2020

Link to video: https://youtu.be/WWhe6ANndaI

Raziah Quallatein Mwawanga (Tanzania chapter)

Media trainer and project management consultant

Link to audio: https://youtu.be/Lg3jsyIfg3c

The board members and treasurer were elected in last week’s vote. The remainder of the executive were declared elected, after nominating unopposed.

To view the results, visit https://secure.electionbuddy.com/results/8Q277CGV3HSJ