The Dikan Centre has graduated 20 young women journalists after a 3-month workshop in investigative journalism, community leadership, and safety practices, culminating in a summit on the theme “The Stories Only She Can Tell.”
The dual event, under Dikan Centre’s maiden initiative “HerPress”, marked the end of a training programme and also set the stage for conversations on how women in media can write innovatively – report on gender-based violence, public health, human rights, and the courage to tell authentic stories that shape societies.
A Gathering of Ghana’s Women in Media, held at “The Mix Design Hub” in Accra-Osu on August 23, 2025, brought together leading figures from diplomacy, law, media, and human rights who propelled the graduates to use their skills and voices to tell stories that reflect the realities of society.
Mr Paul Ninson, Founder and Executive Director of Dikan Centre, noted that the ‘HerPress’ initiative aims to empower women in journalism and to address under-representation. This mission, he states, was inspired by an encounter he had with a female journalist who shared the struggles she faces because of her profession.
With the exposure, knowledge, and positioning provided to the 20 female journalists, he advised the women not to be hesitant about starting their own news platforms or collaborating as a group to create an online newsroom dedicated to women’s stories and legal interpretations, which would serve as a valuable resource.
“This is particularly significant, as many women remain unaware of how newly enacted parliamentary laws directly impact their lives,” he expressed.
Affirming that “There are stories only she can tell, there are experiences only she can share, and there are spaces only she can lead.
To ensure the continuity of the fellowship, he shared, “I’m personally ceding an endowment of this program with $5,000 of my own personal salary. The financial backbone of this is important to me personally.”
The Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Berenice Owen-Jones, highlighted that “when women do well in journalism, societies become more inclusive, more accountable and more just,” stressing that women’s perspectives and truth are vital in reshaping journalism. Acknowledging the challenges of under-representation, discrimination, and harassment online, she admonished the graduates to look at fellow women who have reached the zenith in the space and said, “May this kind of achievement inspire you.”
Reflecting on the critical intersections of women’s leadership, ethical reporting, safety, and innovation in journalism, lawyer and president of the Ghana Bar Association, Efua Ghartey, cited Proverbs 31:8-9, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves…”
Mrs Ghartey urged the women to lead and report with ethical principles, influence, and fact-checking before publication, and a profound respect for human dignity. She recommended that fellows incorporate picture stories into their broader storytelling content.
“When women politicians, such as Her Excellency Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, the Vice President of this country, have been portrayed with dignity in campaign images, it has challenged stereotypes and inspired new generations of girls to believe in leadership. Pictures do not merely document history; they persuade, they confront bias, and they strengthen the core of equity,” she added.
Similarly, Genevieve Partington, Director, Amnesty International Ghana, underscored the importance of journalism in advancing human rights. She said, “When we look at gender-based violence, let us not be the onlookers of it. Let us be the people who call it out. Telling the stories of other women, but doing it consciously and with purpose.”
Learning from Industry Leaders
A panel discussion featured professionals including Gifty Bingley (Senior Communications Leader at AU), Gabrielle Gretener (Journalist/Producer, CNN), Israel Laryea (Broadcaster/Influencer Marketing Executive at Influencer Africa), and Portia Gabor (Award-Winning Journalist and News Anchor, TV3).
These professionals shared their stories to inspire hope and insights on resilience, integrity, and innovation in the media industry, urging young women to pursue excellence and purpose.
Gifty Bingley, on her part, advised the participants to consistently document their work to be prepared for future opportunities.
Portia Gabor encouraged them to demonstrate empathy while maintaining boundaries when working on stories that demand either financial or emotional support.
Gabrielle Gretener urged the ladies to remain consistent in their work and build their capacity for upcoming opportunities.
Israel Laryea highlighted the importance of leveraging professional networks by creating social media platforms to positively influence audiences. He further encouraged producers to collaborate with social media influencers on content ideas, concepts, and productions as a means of expanding their portfolios and diversifying income streams.
The graduation marked the end of a capacity-building programme by Dikan Centre, which equipped the women journalists with the skills and confidence to thrive in their careers.
About Dikan Centre & HerPress
Dikan Centre is a visionary non-profit institution dedicated to shaping the next generation of Africa’s creative leaders.
HerPress is a Dikan Centre initiative born to equip women journalists, tackle under-representation, place women at the centre of journalism’s future, and provide a space for women in journalism and media in general to affirm themselves as leaders, innovators, and storytellers – shaping Africa’s future, which is supported by the Australian High Commission in Ghana.
