Call for Papers – African Women in Media (AWiM) Conference

Deadline: 30 April 2026

African Women in Media (AWiM) is pleased to invite submissions for its 10th annual conference and Global Forum, AWiM26. We are excited to host this landmark convening in Namibia, at a moment when women’s leadership is visible at the highest levels of governance and offers a powerful context for global reflection and learning. AWiM Conferences bring together leaders from media, creative industries, technology, policy, academia and finance to explore how inclusive leadership can shape the future of media systems. AWiM26 Conference marks ten years of AWiM’s work advancing gender equality in and through media, representing a moment to reflect on progress while addressing structural barriers that continue to limit participation in media economies and leadership.  

AWiM conferences are known for their cross-sector engagement, and AWiM26 will continue this tradition by convening practitioners, academics, policymakers, regulators, technologists, investors, funders, civil society organisations, and creators. We invite contributions across journalism, film, television, radio, publishing, music, advertising, sports media, gaming, cultural production, influencer and creator industries, community storytelling, and the platform and financial infrastructures that shape contemporary communication. 

About the Theme: Around the world, women remain underrepresented in positions of political, economic, and institutional power, even as they play central roles in shaping public discourse, culture, and community life. At the same time, the media and creative industries are undergoing a profound transformation driven by platformisation, artificial intelligence, and new forms of digital labour. These shifts are changing how leadership is expressed, equity of market access, and raising important questions around digital protection, access to justice, and accountability within media and digital ecosystems. 

Continental frameworks such as the African Union’s Agenda 2063 place women and youth at the centre of Africa’s development future, yet translating these aspirations into concrete policies, institutional practices, and sustainable economic opportunities remains uneven. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) presents new possibilities for regional market integration, cross-border collaboration, and the growth of Africa’s creative and cultural industries. However, structural inequalities in access to capital, ownership, and global distribution continue to limit the participation of African media and cultural producers, particularly women. Globally, debates are intensifying around the future of work, the governance of digital platforms, and the role of capital in shaping creative economies. 

Within this context, AWiM26 asks: 

1. How is women’s leadership being exercised, constrained, and reimagined in and through media and cultural production? 
2. How can economic power in media and creative industries be redistributed more equitably, particularly for women and youth? 
3. What forms of governance are needed to protect rights, ensure accountability, and enable inclusive participation? 

A 10-Year Milestone: The Windhoek Framework for Inclusive Media Economies 

AWiM26 Conference will mark the launch of the Windhoek Framework for Inclusive Media Economies, an initiative aimed at strengthening fair participation of African media organisations and creators in regional and global media systems. 

The Windhoek Framework advances fair participation of African media organisations and creators in regional and global media economies through equitable partnerships, inclusive leadership, and strong digital protection. 

Underpinned by inclusive leadership and decision-making, it is guided by three core principles: 

1. Fair market access for African media and cultural producers 
2. Equitable global partnerships in media and creative industries 
3. Stronger digital protection for intellectual property, data and creators’s rights and safety 

The Framework builds on the legacy of the historic Windhoek Declaration on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press, which established the principles of press freedom and media pluralism in Africa. While the Windhoek Declaration addressed the political foundations for media freedom, the Windhoek Framework seeks to address the economic and digital foundations necessary for inclusive media systems today. The Framework builds on AWiM’s work, including the Kigali Declaration on the Elimination of Gender Violence in and through Media. As part of the Windhoek Framework, AWiM will present the Supplementary Protocol on Digital Protection and Artificial Intelligence (Kigali Declaration 2.0), developed through AWiM’s Communities of Practice and Policy Labs. The protocol addresses emerging risks related to digital harassment, algorithmic bias, and intellectual property exploitation in AI-driven media environments. 

Subtheme 1: Media, Power and Narrative Leadership 

How leadership is exercised through storytelling, representation, and cultural authority. 

Possible themes include: 

• Leadership in film/TV, radio, publishing, advertising, music, gaming, sport media, and community media 
• Platform visibility, algorithmic gatekeeping, and narrative extraction 
• Political communication, elections, and public trust 
• Representation of women in leadership 
• Feminist storytelling, archives, memory, and counter-narratives 
• Media ethics, credibility, and the future of public-interest content 
• Political economy of the media 

Subtheme 2: Resources, Ownership and the Future of Creative Work 

How economic structures, technology and investment shape labour, ownership, and participation in media and creative industries. 

Possible themes include: 

• Gender-lens investing in media and creative industries 
• Financial models for independent media and creator economies 
• Access to capital for women-led media enterprises 
• Intellectual property ownership and copyright protection in digital environments 
• Revenue sharing and labour rights in global media collaborations 
• Labour conditions in media and creative industries, including informal work, precarity, and the care economy  
• AI in creative industries: opportunities and risks 
• Data rights, bias, and inclusion in systems affecting content distribution 
• Community-led and feminist approaches to technology design 
• Market access for African media and cultural producers in regional and global value chains 
• Sustainable business models for independent media in smaller markets 
• Audience development across borders; diaspora markets; language and localisation 
• Creating and maintaining responsible platforms in small communities 

Subtheme 3: Governance, Participation, and Rights 

How governance systems can enable safe, equitable participation in media ecosystems 

Possible themes include: 

• Media regulation and gender equality outcomes 
• Platform governance and digital accountability 
• Women’s political leadership and the media’s role in democratic participation 
• Political will, implementation gaps, and accountability in gender equality policies  
• Anti-corruption, information integrity, and public communication 
• Implementing AU Agenda 2063, the Africa Free Trade Agreement and regional bloc commitments in national and sectoral policy 
• Online violence, harassment, doxxing, deepfakes, and risks to media integrity 
• Organisational duty of care in media organisations and platforms 
• Digital protection for journalists, creators and public-facing leaders 
• AI governance, algorithmic accountability, and intellectual property protection 
• Synthetic media governance, authenticity, and trust 

Expected Outcomes  

1. Finalisation and launch of the Windhoek Framework for Inclusive Media Economies 
2. Policy recommendations addressing market access, digital protection and equitable media partnerships 
3. New collaborations between media organisations, investors and policymakers 
4. Commitments from investors, funders, and institutions to support women-led media enterprises and inclusive media economies 

What We Are Looking For 

We welcome proposals that are research-based, practice-based, policy-oriented, tech-focused, creative, experimental, or cross-disciplinary. 

Selected contributions will feed into a range of programme formats, including: 

• Research papers (academic or applied) – 15–20 minutes 
• Panels/Roundtables – 60–90 minutes, multi-stakeholder 
• Skills workshops / Masterclasses – practical and interactive 
• Creator showcases – short, high-energy demonstrations of methods or models 
• Policy labs – sessions designed to produce draft frameworks, guidelines, or tools 
• Exhibitions – photography, film, audio, XR, interactive and digital projects 
• Lightning talks – 5–7 minutes, focused provocations 

Special Invitation: Emerging Creators and Youth Voices 

If you are building an audience through TikTok, YouTube, podcasts, Instagram, newsletters, streaming platforms, or community channels, we want you in the room, especially if you are: 

• Experimenting with sustainable income models 
• Navigating platform risk or harassment 
• Producing cultural or political content 
• Developing new formats for African storytelling 

Submission Requirements 

Please submit: 

• Title 
• Subtheme (1–3) 
• Format 
• Abstract (250–350 words) 
• Technical or space needs 
• Bio(s) (max 120 words each) 

Selection criteria: relevance to theme; originality; practical value; inclusivity; clarity; and fit for action-oriented spaces 

SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION HERE

Timeline: 

• 30 April – Deadline for submissions 
• 31 May – Early Bird registration open 
• 31 September – Early Bird registration closes 
• 3-4 December – Conference dates