Two Kenyan journalists, Caroline Jerotich Kimutai and Agnes Kalekye Nguna, have been elected to the World Association of News Publishers' (WAN-IFRA's) Board of Directors.
Kimutai, the Managing Editor in charge of the digital division at the Standard Media Group, and Nguna, the Chief Operating Officer at Radio Africa Group Limited, were elected during WAN-IFRA's Annual General Meeting held on June 17.
The announcement was made by the organization's Chief Executive Officer, Vincent Peyregne, who welcomed the new board members adding that it was in line with the body's strategic plan for diversity and inclusion.
"Today’s announcement advances our ongoing efforts to expand the expertise and diversity of our Board and confirms that a growing number of women are taking up senior positions in the media. However, we are far from the parity we aspire to as an industry," Peyregne stated.
Nguna welcomed her election stating that publishers will be able to tap into the expertise of other professionals in solving issued in the media industry.
The Media Owners Association Vice Chairperson added that through WAN-IRFA, more women would be included in media leadership through training and equipping them with relevant skills in the industry.
Kimutai and Nguna were elected alongside nine other members who will be expected to ensure that WAN-IFRA has the additional skillsets and experience to support future developments in different parts of the world.
In the same meeting, 14 general directors regained their seats as seven others retired rom the Board after years of service. Among the issues discussed in the convention were challenges journalists faced with the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the safety of journalists.
The commission further revealed that it had raised Ksh92.6 million in financial support for local media and media professionals working in some of the world’s most challenging markets.
WAN-IFRA, is the global organisation of the world’s press whose mission is to protect the rights of journalists and publishers around the world to operate independent media.
Its mission is to provide its members with expertise and services to innovate and prosper in a digital world, focusing on press freedom and journalism, media sustainability and media innovation.
The organization boasts of a membership of 3,000 news publishing companies and technology entrepreneurs and 60 member publisher associations representing 18,000 publications in 120 countries.
