By 
The harassment of female journalists, both in newsrooms and online remains a major obstacle to gender equality in the media industry. Recognizing this challenge, Zimbabwe Online Content Creators (ZOCC) recently hosted a Women in News workshop in Harare, focusing on the realities women face in journalism and strategies to create safer workspaces.
While media houses have policies against sexual harassment and discrimination, enforcement remains weak. Many female journalists continue to work in environments where inappropriate behavior is normalized, leaving them vulnerable to intimidation, exclusion from career opportunities, or even being pushed out of the industry entirely. Beyond the newsroom, digital spaces have become another battleground, with female journalists frequently targeted with cyberbullying and online harassment designed to silence their voices.
At the workshop, media trainer Monica Cheru and other facilitators emphasized the need for women to be equipped with knowledge of their rights and mechanisms to challenge harassment. However, individual empowerment alone is not enough. Structural reforms are necessary, newsrooms must move beyond symbolic commitments and actively enforce policies that protect women. Additionally, digital platforms must do more to combat online abuse against female journalists, rather than allowing toxic environments to flourish unchecked.
By Ruvarashe Gora
The broader issue is that gender inequality in journalism is not just about harassment, it is about power. Women remain underrepresented in leadership positions across news organizations, limiting their ability to influence workplace policies and editorial direction. Without more women in decision-making roles, the industry will continue to reflect male dominated perspectives, reinforcing environments where harassment can persist unchallenged.
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