In Ghana, DW Academy works with female journalists as they try to advance in their careers despite gender barriers.
Having worked for over a decade across the media spectrum in Ghana, Ivurama Attoh can be proud of his career, which has ranged from reporting for television to creating publicity campaigns to co-hosting a morning talk show.
“I have a true passion for communications,” he said. “I’ve seen how that passion can help shape public discussion and help bring forward voices that are often underrepresented.”
However, it is this drive, dedication and passion that may hinder Ghanaian women journalists like Iwuraama in their ability to participate fully in their profession and thus in public life. As the higher they fly in their jobs, the more responsibilities they take on, the more they embrace concrete stories, the more challenges and resistance they face, says Ama Kodjoe, DW Academy’s program director for Ghana.
focus on solution
With this understanding, DW Academy launched a workshop project earlier this year called “Safety for Women Journalists.” The idea was to gather together 12 female journalists in northern Ghana, which is generally less developed and more patriarchal than the south of the country, to reflect on their experiences both inside and outside the newsroom.
Harassment and discrimination have burdened many women like Attoh, but the meeting was more focused on solutions: practicing intervention in scenarios, risk assessment and staying safe, including how to keep yourself safe while covering violence. One discussion was particularly instructive, and telling: taking photographs of insect bites for diagnosis, disclosing allergies to coworkers, always carrying an insurance card, choosing lower floors with two exits, and changing hotels if reputation is risky.
“There was a lot of interest,” Kodjoe said, “because these types of workshops are not typically offered by their media employers.”
For Northern Bureau Chief Shawna Yusuf in Tamale, Ghana channel one tv And City FMIt was the content of a workshop on receiving stories while staying safe and calm that hit home.
“I face limited resources for field reporting, poor road networks when covering remote areas, pressure to meet tight deadlines and sometimes difficulty in accessing timely information from institutions,” he said. “And it’s about misinformation, security risks during sensitive operations, and balancing speed with accuracy.”
Ghana was ranked 52nd out of 180 countries by Reporters Without Borders in its annual survey in 2025. World Press Freedom Index. Like journalists in other parts of the Global South, Ghanaian media workers may endure threats and attacks, and media companies face financial constraints. In this environment, DW Academy Projects in Ghana Focus on expanding media skills as well as building resilience and reporting during conflict and trauma. The workshops also provide training in AI-generated content, fact-checking, cyberbullying and critical approaches to hate speech.
vexing challenges
Attoh participated in the training earlier this year, though he said his challenges were probably less dangerous and more nerve-wracking.
“I often have to work twice as hard to be heard and taken seriously, especially when it comes to decision-making in the workplace,” she said. “There have been instances on panels where male guests on our morning show cancel at the last minute when they find out I’ll be the host. They say they’re not comfortable asking me questions.”
Hamdiya Abdul Hameed, who is a news anchor and reporter Multimedia Organization ZASays this all sounds very familiar in his work too.
“In such situations, some people may become defensive or reluctant to share information,” he said. “I just try to stay calm and professional and avoid confrontation.”
working skills
During the training, Joseph recalled being in a difficult, potentially dangerous situation during a recent assignment – and in doing so, he realized that erring on the side of safety helped him do his job with confidence.
He described traveling to a remote area to write about the drought. Some farmers offered to apply it to their crops to see the effects. On the way, he saw that several farmers, probably minding their own business, were carrying cutlasses. But still Yusuf felt uneasy.
“I remained calm and carefully recorded a short video of the group,” she said. “Then I shared it with a trusted family member and a close friend. I also sent them my live location.
“I took these precautions,” she continued, “to make sure others knew where I was and who I was with. Fortunately, nothing harmful happened, and I was able to complete the task safely.”
The ‘Safety for Women Journalists’ workshop is an activity under the Media Safety project at the DW Academy Ghana office, supported by Germany. Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).