GEM Summit Radio – Women Within Media

WOMEN WITHIN MEDIA

The Protocol urges Member States to take measures to promote the equal representation women in the ownership of, and decision-making structures of the media in accordance with Article 12.1 that provides for equal representation of women in decision making positions by 2015.

The Glass Ceilings in Southern African Newsrooms study shows that while women constitute about 41% of all media workers, women are absent from boards and top media positions. This research found that Lesotho had the highest proportion of female employees (73%) in the media in Southern Africa. South Africa has achieved parity in its proportion of female staff in the media. The lowest proportion of female staff is in Zimbabwe (25%) and the DRC (18%). Both Zimbabwe (13%) and the DRC (22%) had the lowest proportion of female staff in the media houses surveyed. Perhaps some of this can be attributed to gender in media education.

Interview – Sikhonzile Ndlovu
CUE: In Southern Africa, women continue to hit glass ceiling in the media, which could make meeting the provisions of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development a challenge. According to Sikhonzile Ndlovu, media manager at Gender Links, there has been some progress but not nearly enough.
IN: “My name is Sikhonzile Ndlovu…”
OUT: “…still very low, less than 40%.”
DURATION: 3’01

Interview – Pat Made
CUE: Media education and media development NGOS have the capacity to influence attitudes, skills and knowledge of media practitioners, particularly at the entry level, but also through on going courses. Activists and decision-makers, especially women decision-makers, help to set the gender and media agenda through well co-ordinated campaigns, and a proactive approach to the media. Pat Made is the principal author of the gender in Media Education Study.
IN: “I’m Pat Made…”
OUT: “…the same of other sectors of society.”
DURATION: 5’53

Interview – Sister Rose Nyondo
CUE: There is an increasing number of female journalism students in training institutions yet there is a disproportionate number of practising female journalists who graduate from these programmes. Sister Rose Nyondo has observed that female journalism students at the University of Zambia often begin with dreams of the newsroom, yet change their focus as they move towards graduation.
IN: “My name is Sister Rose…”
OUT: “…she said and so on.”
DURATION: 3’11

Interview – Maria Gorethy Charles
Cue: Once a year on International Women’s Day, 8 March, many media houses around the world turn over all editorial and production functions to all female crews. The University of Dar es Salaam has taken this approach one step further, and once a month the university TV crew is comprised of only female students. According to Maria Gorethy Charles, student and member of the television crew, the approach is needed to encourage more female students to take up production posts.
IN:
OUT:
DURATION:

Download : Sikhonzile Ndlovu on Glass Ceilings
Download : Pat Made on the Gender in Media Education audit