Rachel Mayanja

Half the Sky Live: Insights and Lessons for Making Your Voice Heard

Last night, Jennifer Kushlis and I attended Half the Sky Live, a multi-city simulcast event featuring stories, music, discussion and film to bring to light the struggles women face around the world.  Many of us on the Social Impact team picked up a copy of Half the Sky, by Nick Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, when it came out, so Jennie and I were eager to hear insights on the subject from some fantastic women, including Dr. Helene Gayle, Rachel Mayanja, actress Maria Bello and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York.

I particularly identified with Kristof’s commentary on how the media can help raise awareness of an issue that affects millions of women around the world.

It’s a daunting task, and as Kristof pointed out, when a woman dies in childbirth every minute, how do the media convey that one of those minutes is more “newsworthy” than the next?  Part of our job as communicators is to help organizations frame information that resonates with media – whether it’s reaching a well-known columnist like Kristof, a women’s magazine or a human rights blog. Below are some guidelines that we use with clients trying to earn media attention in this often-cluttered space:

• Focus on stories, not numbers. Dr. Gayle and Kristof agreed that people often get lost in numbers – when talking with media, focus on one compelling story that resonates with your target audience.
• Know your “ask” for readers. What do you want the news story to focus on? Whether it’s driving donations, spreading a viral video or facilitating conversation (on Twitter or in the comments section), keep this top of mind when crafting your story and your talking points.
• What makes you unique? The human rights and women’s issues media space is crowded. Find one fact that sets you apart from your competitors – whether it’s a popular annual event, your inspiring leadership or a vast on-the-ground presence around the world –  and make sure the media know this. Capitalize on your assets and tell a story that highlights these differentiators.

Last night was an inspiring evening (thanks to CARE for organizing!) that left me thinking about new ways to help tell the stories of brave women around the world who are working every day to improve the lives of their sisters, daughters and friends.