Gender Reporting in 2025: Facing the Hard Truths
As the world approaches 2055, journalists covering gender issues in 2025 are confronting uncomfortable realities about inequality and societal complacency. Despite decades of promises stemming from the 1995 Beijing Declaration on gender equality, progress has often stalled at the almost there stage. Dorcas Muga-Odumbe, Gender & Health Editor at Nation Media Group, highlights the urgency of reporting stories that reflect not only ongoing struggles but also the aspirations of the generation growing up today—children who will inherit a world where choice, rather than gender, should determine destiny.
The coverage of gender issues today reflects both the persistent gaps and the bold demands of a younger generation unwilling to accept incremental change. Muga-Odumbe notes that children learning their first words now are growing up with a consciousness shaped by global conversations on equity, representation, and rights. These young voices are challenging traditional norms, insisting that governments, communities, and institutions finally deliver on promises made decades ago. The article underscores the role of journalists in amplifying these demands and documenting both successes and failures in policy implementation, education, and social empowerment.
Reactions from activists and experts emphasize that gender equality is not merely symbolic but foundational for sustainable development. By highlighting stories of exclusion, systemic bias, and opportunity gaps, journalists contribute to shaping public opinion and accountability mechanisms. Looking ahead, the focus in Kenya and across Africa is expected to shift from almost equality to meaningful inclusion, ensuring that policies, education, and leadership opportunities are genuinely accessible to all, regardless of gender. Effective gender reporting today is therefore both a mirror and a catalyst, showing where society stands and pushing it toward a fairer, more equitable future.