Women in the newsroom have long had to work twice as hard to prove themselves that they can do exactly the same work as a male journalist.

This was highlighted by former Fiji journalist and current ABC News reporter Lice Movono, who spoke about her early days in journalism, saying it did not take long to realize that being young and female meant having to push harder for recognition.

She said while youth in a newsroom naturally requires earning your place, gender often determines assignments.

Movono revealed that rugby stories were almost always given to male reporters, based on the assumption that men understood the sport better, even if they had never played it.

She added that stereotype ignored the reality that women are just as engaged in the sport, both as supporters and analysts.

She also highlighted cultural barriers, saying male reporters were often sent to cover indigenous or rural assignments because of traditional protocols, even though she had been raised to understand and navigate those settings.

Movono stressed that safety concerns were another reason women were overlooked for certain stories, reinforcing what she describes as a victim stereotype.

However, she believes the industry is changing.

She points to the growing number of women excelling in sports journalism and says structural barriers are being dismantled, not by chance, but through years of hard work by women and supportive male editors.

“You need the men and the women to work together for these structural barriers to be taken away. And I’ve seen some really great male editors work with the women leaders to get rid of that.”

Movono said whenever she felt underestimated, her response was simple, and that is to work harder.

From building her own website as a freelancer to leaving full-time employment to control her career path, she says determination and innovation helped her break into international spaces.

Movono further said that women can learn, lead and succeed when given the opportunity.

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