Women, girls survive cruel dangerous life at sidojiwe flats_ Radio Vop_ 03 October 2015

Name of the story: Women, girls survive cruel dangerous life at sidojiwe flats

Name of the media house: Radio Vop

Name of the country: Zimbabwe

Synopsis

Brief description of the item of work you submitted and motivation of why it is a good example of gender awareness and sensitivity in advancing gender equality Post-2015.

Women are often exposed to bad societal conditions because of their vulnerability. This story outlines how women struggle to live under these conditions. Women who stay at Sidojiwe Flats near Sizinda in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe have aired out complaints on the squalid living conditions that they have to bear with which they say are exposing them and their families to a myriad of health and social risks. Their plea for better conditions has been ignored for many years. The story reveals that if city leaders do not improve living conditions for women, women suffer.

Background

Why did you produce the story? What problem or context is it responding to?

The story is responding to the complaints of women living under squalid conditions.

Women living under such an environment are exposed to abuse of all kinds

Key objectives

What did you hope to achieve with this coverage?

I hoped to achieve a positive response from the city fathers. I hoped they would consider renovating the structures or move the victims to better structures since they were victims of a government operation.

Target audience

Whom did you hope to reach? Did you succeed in reaching this audience? What evidence do you have to that effect?

The story was the editor’s choice meaning it was an in-depth story. I reached out to different audiences and the Bulawayo City Council has reduced the rent

How did you go about producing the programme?

How did you gather the data, how many sources, female and male did you consult? Why did you choose these sources and how were their voices important?

I went to the flats and I talked to three women. I chose three women because they were direct voices and would do well in depicting the situation.

Feedback

What impact did it have? What evidence do you have to illustrate impact?

People, who read the story, contacted the editor and me and said it was a good story, the women at Sidojiwe flats were happy that their voices had been heard since rentals were reduced.

Follow up

How would you conduct a follow up to your story and why?

I would go and find out if there are any more improvements on the structure and if the Bulawayo City council has visited the venue yet.