A pilot programme to provide mentoring for women journalists in the Pacific has been launched in Fiji, Tuesday.
The project is a result of collaboration between the newly formed peak body for women working in Fijian media, Women in Media Fiji (WiM Fiji), the Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS) and Women in Media Australia (WiM Australia).
The programme is an exclusive mentoring program teamed with online training to empower women in Fiji’s media to build their careers. It aims to support media women in Fiji to connect with those working in other Pacific nations including Australia.
WiM Fiji Lead Coordinator Rosi Doviverata said the priority is to create a single, stronger voice for media women, support each other and work together to address issues of gender inequity.
“They’ve asked for help to advance their careers, take on long overdue leadership roles and deal with the challenges of working in the media with the support of other women” she said.
Doviverata, a co-founder of WiM Fiji and President of the Fijian Media Association, said WiM Fiji’s mentoring programme is inspired and guided by WiM Australia’s highly successful mentoring programme.
WiM Australia board member Kathy McLeish said the partnership with WiM Fiji will mirror the Australian program which has run for several years, expertly matching young or new recruits with experienced hands.
She said it was timely to announce the new project in the leadup to International Women’s Day, today – 08 March.
Doviverata urged potential mentors and mentees to apply to be a participant in the programme to help build and strengthen the voice of Fiji women in the media.
Under the scheme, women working fulltime in mainstream newsrooms in Fiji can apply to be mentored by senior journalists in Fiji and from the wider Pacific. Mentors should have at least five years’ experience in the industry.
It is an initiative of an Australian development assistance project, funded by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and managed by ABC International Development under the Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS).
Nominate your interest to be a mentor or mentee on the website: http://abcinternationaldevelopment.net.au/
The launch of the programme comes in the lead-up to International Women’s Day, which is celebrated on 08 March.
SOURCE: WIM FIJI/PACNEWS
