Last Friday, Mariama Sahid had the honor of attending the SLAJ Presidential Debate organized by the Sierra Leone Reporters Union. As part of the audience, she was both fortunate and proud to be the only woman granted the opportunity to ask a question. Just one question yet it carried the weight of years of silent struggles and unspoken frustrations. A question that, if taken seriously, could help shape a stronger, more united future for women in media.
As a young media practitioner with experience dating back to 2018 reporting and presenting for RADIO MOUNT AUREOL-Cotton Tree News, AfriRadioSL, and Hands of Hope Radio 100.5 De Uman Dem Radio and as the former Deputy Executive Director of the Media Initiative for Women and Girls Empowerment (2018–2022), I’ve witnessed firsthand the challenges women face in our profession. Abuse, marginalization, and limited visibility are not unfamiliar stories — they are lived realities.
With that experience in mind, she asked both SLAJ presidential aspirants how they intend to bring together the two key institutions advocating for women in media: Women in the Media Sierra Leone (WIMSAL) and the Sierra Leone Association of Women in Journalism (SLAWIJ).
These two organizations, both powerful in their own right, have remained divided for far too long. The division is often downplayed one labeled as a company, the other as an affiliate body but no amount of sugarcoating can hide the truth: we are not united. And that disunity holds us back.
“We now stand at a crossroads, with two very different candidates vying to lead SLAJ one seasoned, the other youthful and driven. Regardless of who wins, the time to act is now.” The message we must send to the next generation to the young women entering this profession with hope and ambition must be clear: we stand together.
She added that they truly want to achieve equality, visibility, and respect for women in journalism, then unity is not optional it is essential. The power we hold collectively is far greater than anything we can accomplish divided. Mentors, trailblazers, and future leaders alike: let us come together. Let us build a media space where every woman feels represented, protected, and empowered.
Because our daughters and the young women watching us today deserve more than confusion and fragmentation. They deserve a united force: clear in purpose, strong in voice, and unwavering in vision.