The Aga Khan University (AKU) is a not-for-profit institution and an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network. AKU was founded in 1983 as Pakistan’s first private university and starting in 2000, is now in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Afghanistan and the United Kingdom.

The Aga Khan University’s Graduate School of Media and Communications (AKU-GSMC) was established in 2015 as the premier source of education and training of journalists, media and communications executives and entrepreneurs in East Africa and beyond. AKU-GSMC is guided by the principles of global excellence and local relevance and helps individuals to transform their careers and organizations as they reap the benefits of innovation.

The Advancing Gender Equality in Media and Civil Society in East Africa (AGEMC-EA) is a project implemented by Aga Khan University’s Graduate School of Media and Communications with support from the Aga Khan Foundation and Global Affairs Canada. This project aims to strengthen enhance gender equality through media and civil society. The project’s key initiatives include establishing gender desks in East African media houses, enhancing media professionals' skills on gender coverage through fellowships and mentorships, developing a curriculum for training gender specialists, offering continuous professional development for media and civil society professionals, and conducting research on gender representation in East African media to address gaps and improve equity.

Job Purpose/Summary 

The Consultant will write a policy paper that draws from the research and AGEMCS activities to advance the gender agenda in the media and civil society. 

• Conduct a review of existing policies and relevant regulations related to the media, gender and media’s coverage of women. This also includes existing documents and policies on women’s and gender issues in relation to employment and leadership positions in the media.

• Engage with research by the AGEMCS and publications, roundtable reports, key stakeholders in both the industry and the academy and the AGEMCS steering committee team to gather input and feedback.

• Draft the gender equality in the media and civil society policy, including definitions, principles, and procedures.

• Develop an implementation plan outlining roles, responsibilities, and timelines.

• Revise the draft policy based on feedback from stakeholders and management.

• Prepare the final policy document for approval by the steering committee at GSMC.