SisterSpeak237, a Cameroon-based organisation dedicated to amplifying the voices of women and minority groups, has joined six other women-led African media and gender-focused organisations to launch the Coalition for Gender Equality and Media Sustainability in Africa (CGEMSA).
A press release made public on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, announced the official launch of the pan-African coalition with founding members committing to advancing gender equality, strengthening independent media, and promoting more sustainable civic and media spaces across the continent.
The other founding members are Nigeria-headquartered African Women in Media (AWiM), which will serve as the Coalition Secretariat; Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK); Ethiopian Media Women Association (EMWA); Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA); Uganda Media Women’s Association (UMWA); and Women in Media Sierra Leone (WIMSAL).
Reacting to the coalition’s launch, Sisterspeak237 said on Facebook that it was excited to be part of a collective effort to build “a stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient media ecosystem for Africa.”
“Together, we’re investing in a future where gender equality and independent media can thrive,” the organisation said.
The launch comes as women’s rights organisations and independent media outlets across Africa and beyond face mounting sustainability challenges, including declining funding, changing donor priorities and increasing pressures on civil society.
The UN Women Gender Snapshot 2026, cited by the coalition, reports that among 855 women’s rights groups surveyed across 52 countries, 31 percent had reduced their advocacy capacity, while 21 percent had scaled back long-term gender-equality work. Nearly half had six months or less of funding, while two in five anticipated possible suspension or closure within a year.
The Free Press Unlimited 2026 report similarly points to financial pressures facing independent media, reporting that declining international aid has forced up to 80 percent of independent media outlets worldwide to downsize, affecting their capacity to deliver public-interest journalism and serve communities.
CGEMSA argues that the challenges facing gender-focused organisations and independent media are closely connected and therefore require stronger collaboration and collective responses.
As Secretariat, AWiM will provide coordination and administrative support, while the coalition’s strategic direction and priorities will be collectively shaped by its seven founding organisations.
The members will work together to mobilise strategic partnerships and resources, promote regional collaboration, facilitate knowledge exchange and strengthen enabling environments for gender equality and sustainable media development.
Queenter Mbori, Executive Director of AMWIK, said the coalition comes at a time when digital media is creating new opportunities for cross-border collaboration even as funding pressures continue to affect civil society and media organisations.
“This Coalition brings these efforts together, creating a powerful collective platform to mobilise resources, champion regional collaboration and empower our organisations to continue driving meaningful change beyond our borders,” Mbori said in the coalition’s press release.
Dr. Yemisi Akinbobola, CEO of AWiM, said the coalition reflects a shared commitment to sustaining work already being undertaken by organisations advancing gender equality and media development across Africa.
“As the Secretariat, AWiM is honoured to support coordination and partnership-building among the founding members while ensuring that each organisation’s expertise, priorities, and experience remain central to the Coalition’s direction,” Akinbobola said.
The coalition said its immediate priorities will include strengthening collaboration among its founding members, advancing shared advocacy priorities, facilitating knowledge exchange and developing strategic partnerships to help the organisations expand their impact in the months ahead.
