Lady Band Institutional Profile


Date: June 26, 2013
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“Through abiding to international and national commitments   journalism professionalism could be achieved”.

COUNTRY

TANZANIA

MEDIA HOUSE

LADY BAND

Baseline score

60

Latest score

80

Population/audience

Key characteristics

Contact person

SABINA WANDIBA

Designation

REPORT (GENDER CHAMPION)

Contact details

+255 713/767 431260 Email: swandiba@yahoo.com

Interaction with GL has made Lady Band Company ltd (LCL) take one step forward after they totalled their staff to 30 (nine females and 21 – males) from 28 (eight – females and 20 males, previously. The media house, which did not have a Board before, currently has a seven Member Board (two females and five males). LCL owns Changamoto Newspaper.

By July, 2011 they adopted their own Gender Policy within their company, which is being used as their guiding tool to implement their already set objectives.

Ladyband Company Limited (LCL) was registered in Tanzania in 2006. It provides superior consulting services for managing implementing Media and Public Relations activities, serving both the domestic and international sectors.

According to Said Mmanga, the editor of Changamoto Newspaper, interaction with GL has been a credit to LCL as far as credibility is concerned. “We have added a step ahead,” says Mmanga. “Currently, we have a guiding tool with the help from GL. This tool is helping us shape our work as per our laid down objectives. We are making sure that, with the meagre resources we have, we will meet our goals.”

“The reporters work according to the policy we have initiated, which favour commitments of gender equality. We are aware that through abiding to international and national commitments is where the journalism profession could be achieved”. Says Mmanga.

Although LCL has not set targets for achieving gender balance at all levels by 2015, they aim to achieve a commendable job by the same period. This has been evidenced through what is being published by their newspaper, “Changamoto”. News stories and features carried out by their newspaper touch people of all walks of life. The topics covered include gender equality, health, education and environment. Others range from politics to economics as well as science and technology.

LCL is faced with shortage of staff. This is a hindrance for them to cover a larger part of the country, especially the rural areas. LCL is not in a position to overcome the situation, as this needs financial capacity whereby one can despatch reporters to the rural areas or rely on stringers.

In spite of these challenges, LCL’s life has tangibly and demonstrably changed as a result of the intervention of Gender Links. The fact that the media house has increased the number of its staff plus forming a board which is taking into consideration gender balance, is enough evidence.

LCL offers a four months paid maternity and paternity leave, which is better than national law. According to national law, paid maternity/paternity leave is only given after every three years. LCL once gave four months’ paid maternity leave to an employee who did not qualify after she delivered before three years has passed. “Giving our employees a four months paid maternity leave and a seven days paid paternity leave, better than national law, to LCL is quite an incentive”. Says, Brigget Mwazembe, the Finance Officer with LCL.

“We, representatives of LCL, call for GL to go through the data already collected, and determine how far they can strengthen our relationship in order to further improve our performance. We appreciate the input already acquired through them, but we still need their assistance; maybe more than before, after they have known our needs through the findings collected by Gladness Munuo and Arthur Okwemba,” emphasised, Samson Kamalamo, Deputy Managing Editor.

 


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