Creating a Foundation for Leadership

The IWMF organized three workshops in Nicaragua, Argentina and Ecuador in March and May 2001 to define the goals and objectives of the Latin American Women's Media Initiative.

At these meetings, 70 Latin American women journalists from 17 countries met to shape and structure the future project. The IWMF also provided leadership training for the participants, one of the critical needs identified by Latin American women journalists in a survey conducted in September 2000.

More than 100 Latin American women journalists from 14 countries responded to the survey. Some 60 percent said that having more women in leadership and management positions would benefit women journalists. The majority also told the IWMF that qualified, capable women journalists in the region do not have equal opportunity to advance into leadership or management roles in the media.

Women journalists responding to the survey also asked for opportunities to develop their leadership and journalism skills and to network with women journalists across the region.

Funding for the workshops was provided by The Coca-Cola Company and The Freedom Forum. Additional support for the workshop in Nicaragua was provided by Fundacion Violeta Barrios de Chamorro.