Breaking Ceilings: Women's Leadership Shines in SLAJ Elections.

The recently concluded Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) elective congress was not just a procedural milestone for a democratic institution; it was a statement. A powerful one. This year's elections offered more than just a reshuffle of executive seats. They showcased the growing imprint of women in media leadership and underscored the indispensable role of institutional integrity in electoral processes.

At the heart of this credibility was Zainab Iyamide Joaque, Chairperson of the SLAJ Electoral Commission (SLAJEC). Joaque, a respected reporter at Awoko Newspaper, has set a new standard for electoral leadership in professional associations. Her calm, deliberate and unshakably professional stewardship earned broad praise from both contestants and observers.

In a landscape where electoral outcomes are often contested and trust in the process questioned, Joaque's leadership stood out. She brought clarity to grey areas, ensured adherence to constitutional timelines, and, perhaps most significantly, navigated tensions with grace and fairness. Her work during the SLAJ elections reflected her larger professional ethos, which recently earned her the 2024 SLAJ–UNDP Journalist of the Year Award, a testament to her journalistic excellence and commitment to public interest reporting.

Under her tenure, the SLAJEC functioned not as a backstage technical committee but as a frontline guardian of accountability. From the timely publication of electoral guidelines to the transparent management of nominations and balloting, SLAJEC demonstrated how process shapes trust. Women-led leadership in electoral processes is often met with scepticism in patriarchal societies, but Joaque's work served as a counter-narrative. Professionalism is genderless, but the recognition of women in these spaces still matters.

The elections also renewed conversations around gender equity within SLAJ's executive leadership. While the association has made strides in representation, women continue to be grossly underrepresented in top decision-making roles. The 2025 elections once again highlighted the stark gender gap, not necessarily in participation but in power. The overwhelming presence of women in support systems and field reporting stands in stark contrast to their underrepresentation in editorial and executive positions.

Yet, hope flickers. This year's election saw a stronger advocacy push from within the female cohort of SLAJ members, the Women in the Media Sierra Leone (WIMSAL), calling not only for inclusion but for recognition based on merit, capacity, and contribution. The visibility of women in campaign teams, the strength of their voices in endorsements, and the increasing support from male allies all point to a shifting tide. But progress must not be reduced to symbolism. It must be structured through constitutional reforms, mentorship programs, and targeted leadership development pathways for women in media.

Zainab Joaque's role is thus both a triumph and a reminder. A triumph because she broke through the default expectation of male-led commissions and reminded us that capable leadership wears many faces. A reminder that SLAJ's credibility as a professional body is not just about who wins elections but also about how those elections are conducted and who is trusted to lead the process.

As we reflect on the post-election calm, the focus must now shift to the broader agenda: building a media ecosystem that values gender equity, not just in bylines but in newsroom leadership. SLAJ must lead by example. And that leadership begins with who it empowers and how it ensures that women like Zainab Joaque are not exceptions but the norm.

If SLAJ is serious about building an ethical, inclusive, and responsive media sector, then its future must not only include women but also be shaped by them.

About the Author

Lolo Yeama Sarah Thompson-Oguamah, popularly known as Yeama Sarah Thompson, is a veteran journalist, media development expert, and a leading voice on media literacy and strategic communications in West Africa. She served as Commissioner of the Right to Access Information Commission for the Western and Southern regions of Sierra Leone, where she championed transparency, open data and open governance.

She is currently the Managing Director of the Sierra Leone News Agency (SLENA), Founder and CEO of Initiatives for Media Development (IMdev), and Publisher of Salone Fact Checker—Sierra Leone’s first dedicated fact-checking platform. Additionally, she serves as the Focal Person for the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) in Sierra Leone. This global initiative tracks and analyses gender representation in news content and newsroom leadership. Through this role, she advocates for gender-sensitive reporting and increased visibility of women’s voices and perspectives in the media.

With over two decades of experience in journalism, policy advocacy, and institution-building, Yeama continues to shape the media landscape through innovation, mentorship, and bold leadership, ensuring that media not only informs but also transforms societies.