State ups anti GBV fight- Luo….Studies have shown that more women suffer at hands of men physically, emotionally_Zambia Daily Mail_01 April 2015

Name of article: State ups anti GBV fight- Luo….Studies have shown that more women suffer at hands of men physically, emotionally

Name of Publication: Zambia Daily Mail

Date: 01 April 2015

Country: Zambia

The story is about the Gender Based Violence (GBV) fight in Zambia and the efforts that the Government have put in place. The story gives an account of a parliamentary update where the Minister of Gender was presenting a report to Parliament on the fight against GBV. The reporter has endeavored to bring out both sides of the story for example by quoting both female and male parliamentarians who debated on the matter.

In as much as the story’s headline looks like it is promoting the fight against gender-based violence (GBV), the story has hidden blatant stereotyping.  For example, during the debate in the house, male MP’s are heard interjecting after a female MP says women suffer GBV at the hands of men due to low economic status.  The male MP’s interjected with running commentaries “You are a man and very rich one” which meant that only men are supposed to be rich so any woman or person who is rich is supposed to a man.

They are sending a message to the world that women are not supposed to be rich. The story high lights how that society refer to women who have performed well better than what society expects as men. In the same article, another male MP tells the house that men run away from their matrimonial homes because some women are harsh and are expects at hurling insults.

“Women talk too much. They shout at, belittle and insult their husbands. They deny them much needed sex. So this leads to men running away” the MP is quoted. The MP is sending a message that women deserves to suffer GBV due to low economic status because they talk too much. However, the sourcing of the story is balanced because both women and female parliamentarians are sourced.

The language used in the story is English but it conveys stereotypes. In as much as the story says women and men are differently affected, the terms used by some of sources are stereotyping.

This story clearly show us how our male lawmakers think. It is no wonder a number of laws that aim to protect women against GBV do not go past parliament because rather than looking at the prevailing problem of GBV which is very high in Zambia, the men are only concerned about protecting themselves and their space.

This story shows that the law makers are also perpetrators of GBV. They violated Ms. Namugala in Parliament by refereeing to her as a man.  Further the members of parliament blame the women for the GBV, when they are told the problem that women who are the majority of GBV face, they are quick to ask how men are protected. Secondly, the members of parliament blame the women for the GBV by alleging that women talk too much and they insult their spouses and deny them sex.

To generalize that women insult their husbands is know there are women who do that but not every women talks to much and insult their husbands. This therefore re-enforces stereotypes that women talk toot much. Secondly women have the right to deny their spouses or partners sex if they do not feel like having it. By women exercising this right, it is wrong for a member of parliament to link this to the raise in the cases of GBV.

This story further highlights the resistance that the fight against GBV faces. If MP’s who are representatives of the people can advance such sentiments, what kind of message do they take to the people? How much effort will they advance to the fight against GBV in their constituencies? This shows that the Ministry of Gender has a lot of work to do in getting parliamentarians to understand the subject.

The reporter did advance all the arguments presented on the floor of the house as regard this story giving it a balanced coverage. The report would have choose one side of the story to twist it towards an angle.

Both voices of men and women were presented in the story giving the reader a balanced coverage of the divergent views expressed thereby making an informed judgement. However, the headline only reflected the views advance by the Minister of Gender and neglected to depict the wrong notion that male MP’s have on the fight against GBV.