Empowering individuals and building careers

WINS participant Suchitra has been working with India’s Doordarshan News since 2005 but never given the opportunity to host a World Cup show. However in 2018 she hosted the FIFA World Cup coverage for the national broadcaster and says much of the credit goes to the WINS program. Suchitra participated in a WINS workshop in October 2017 – the New Delhi workshop included interviewing and storytelling skills, social media and photography - giving the opportunity for journalists from across the country to network with their peers. The following year Suchitra was one of five women that took part in the WINS Commonwealth Games activity on the Gold Coast in March 2018 where they received specialised commentary training and were embedded into the ABC broadcast coverage for GC2018.  As a result of both experiences with WINS Suchitra gained confidence to put her new skillset into action. “We have to take the initiative and show them we are just as good, if not better than the men.” In fact her first few shows were received so well that she ended up doing more shows than the male anchors!

Female journalists in Manila make history on the basketball court

WINS workshops focus on championing women’s sport. Some of the Philippines finest female sports journalists took part in the training program in June 2018 in the capital which coincided with the FIBA 3x3 World Cup. It provided an opportunity for the women to put into practice the skills they had learnt, such as taking part in press conferences with local and international media and developing live commentary skills during the basketball games. The women also reported history being made as a women's team represented the Philippines for the very first time. “It all starts with the media and if we are able to do the (female) athletes and sports justice through our voice then slowly the landscape will change,” participant, 2018.