Grand Kru Female Journalists Participate in FeJAL National Retreat

By: Emmanuel Koffa |Grand Kru Correspondent

Monrovia, Liberia| Friday, Dec. 19, 2025 |  Two female journalists from the Grand Kru Journalists Association (GKJA), Comfort T. Doe and Hannah T. Mah, are currently participating in a Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FeJAL) Retreat that brings together potential and practicing female journalists from across Liberia.

The retreat focuses on addressing key issues affecting female journalists nationwide, including safety and protection, digital transformation, gender equality in media leadership, professional development, and organizational sustainability.

During the retreat, the Grand Kru County female journalists presented a Strategic Plan highlighting priority concerns and actionable recommendations aimed at strengthening women’s participation and protection in the media sector.

Key areas of focus include the establishment of a permanent FeJAL Legal Desk to provide legal aid for cases of harassment, intimidation, and unfair dismissal, as well as the creation of emergency safety mechanisms, psychosocial support, and digital security training for female journalists—especially those operating in rural counties.

The presentation also emphasized the urgent need for digital transformation, calling for skills development in mobile journalism, multimedia storytelling, fact-checking, podcasting, and AI-assisted journalism. The journalists further advocated for the creation of a Digital Media Hub and Innovation Lab to support training and equipment sharing at the county level.

On gender equality, the Grand Kru delegation called for 40–50 percent female representation in media leadership, gender-responsive human resource policies, equal pay, maternity protection, flexible work schedules, and zero tolerance for sexual harassment in media institutions. They also underscored the importance of improving the portrayal of women in the media through gender-sensitive reporting and accountability mechanisms.

The strategic plan further addressed organizational and financial sustainability, proposing income-generating initiatives such as media training, consultancy services, fellowships, advocacy campaigns, and strengthened donor and membership engagement.

In closing, the Grand Kru female journalists reaffirmed their commitment to women’s safety and dignity, digital innovation, gender equality in leadership, professional excellence, and a strong and sustainable FeJAL.

The leadership of the Grand Kru Journalists Association has expressed sincere appreciation to FeJAL for organizing what they described as an impactful and empowering retreat that will significantly contribute to strengthening female journalists across Liberia.

The statement is being authored by the leadership of the Grand Kru Journalists Association (GKUJA) for and in support of the Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FeJAL) as it continues to provide training, coaching and expert–driven leadership as well as a Center of Excellence for women growth and development in Liberia.