Women in Media during the Commission on the Status of Women at the UN

From left to right: Clarice Gargard, Raquel Willis, Edith Lederer, Camryn Bruno and Hasna El Maroudi.

From left to right: Clarice Gargard, Raquel Willis, Edith Lederer, Camryn Bruno and Hasna El Maroudi.

On March 11th we organised a side-event during the Commission on the Status of Women at the UN in New York.

Our event on Women in Media was absolutely awe-inspiring. The minister of Education, Culture and Science Ingrid van Engelshoven gave a wonderful speech, alongside Fabiana Tunez Executive Director of the National Institute for Women in Argentina who started off by saying she is a 'militant feminist' and when it comes to visibility 'what you don't see does not exist'

Our impressive panel consisted of Raquel Willis first black and trans woman executive editor at Out Magazine who emphasized the importance of radical change in journalism and how we must elevate the stories of the struggles that are never told. Their March issue with Mothers and Daughters of the Revolution that celebrates black, poc, queer and trans pioneers and human rights advocates is an excellent example of that

Edith Lederer has been working in media for over 50 years and claimed so many firsts as a women covering war and conflict at the Associated Press. As women in media, we stand on her shoulders. Ending with the eloquent and unapologetic spoken word by NYC Youth Poet Laureate and the sweetest Camryn Bruno

We were booked beyond our capacity and people were still coming in and had to be send away. Some were standing against the wall, others were seated on the floor. Afterwards, we were rushed by an excited audience consisting mostly of women of all ages and background who thanked us, because an inspiring session - made possible by the quality of the contributors - was just what they needed.

Hasna El Maroudi