Gender Related Challenges Women Public Relation Professionals in Ethiopia Encounter: Case of Selected Women in Federal and NGO Offices in Addis Ababa
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Date
2021-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Women, in public relation professional development have significant contribution, however their contribution is not properly recognized and acknowledged. Globally, the public relations profession is attributed feminine characteristics as the profession in many countries is dominated by women. Though women have the largest share in the professionals count, but they hold only one third of the leadership positions. This research aims to examine gender related challengs women in PR professions experience throughout their professional journey. For this research, selected women from federal offices and Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are targeted. The research has employed qualitative research method to acquire relevant information as the subject under study is social issue; behaviors, attitude, norm and practice. Accordingly, the researcher has conducted 8 in-depth interview and 1 FGD with purposely selected PR practitioner women from 9 federal offices and 4 NGOs. According to the information from research participants, women are naturally gifted with communication qualities and are more privileged for the profession given their talent. However, their number in the profession is low in government offices, but better in NGO sectors. In both government and NGO environment, women‟s representation in leadership positions is very low. The research findings revealed that, women in PR in general and women working in the targeted government offices and NGOs, in one way or another, face gendered challenges throughout their journey in the profession. These challenges include; stereotypes that hamper their career development, being undervalued, expectation of extra commitment by women leaders which is not usually expected from the men leaders. Moreover, the research participants reported that many women in the profession experience sexual harassment which is considered as normal by their colleagues.
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Public Relations, Women, Gender, leadership, government, NGO