“Re-usable sanitary wear on the cards”

Name of article: Re-usable sanitary wear on the cards

Name of journalist: Arthur Choga

Name of publication: The Herald

Date: 12 December 2011

Country: Zimbabwe

Theme: Reproductive health

Skills: perspective, sources

Genre: News

GEM Classification: Gender aware

Description: Poverty just like many other societal issues disproportionally affect women and girls compared to their male counterparts. Lack of basic women needs such as sanitary wear denies women and girls an opportunity to take part in socio-economic and developmental activities that would ultimately empower them. This media highlight analyses a Zimbabwean newspaper article that reported on re-usable sanitary wear that have been developed for economically “disadvantaged” women and girls.

Headline: The headline “Re-usable sanitary wear on the cards” is relevant to the story as it establishes the gist of the article. However, the headline failed to encompass the other issue reported in the last part of the story. The last half of the article talks about young women empowerment.

Sources: The article used two sources, a male and female. However, the space given to a male source compared to female source makes the article gender blind. Whilst there are about six direct quotes from a male source, there is only one quote from a female source and it is at the very end of the piece. Further, the article does not include the voices of girls and women who are at the core of both issues addressed in the article.

Language: The article uses neutral language.

Visual Images: No image is used.

Story Angle/Perspective: Two issues have been addressed in this article, re-usable sanitary wear and equipping young women with technical skills. However, the article does not vividly bring out the problems that prompted authorities to come up with re-usable sanitary wear for instance. Background information on how economically disadvantaged women and girls fail to access “normal” pads and how alternative measures have risked their lives would have given the article a different perspective.

Considering the speculated fears associated with re-usable sanitary wear, the writer could have highlighted some successful case studies of re-usable pads as evidenced in Uganda and Tanzania. This could have not only informed the readers that re-usable sanitary wear can be used, but it would also drive away fears associated with the product.

Certain issues have come in the backdrop in relation to this issue. For example, the reporter could have mentioned the petition that women presented to parliament ahead of 2012 budget which urged government to consider subsidizing sanitary wear. The women further demanded that such products be distributed free in poor communities and schools. All these issues could have given this article more depth.

Most importantly, the reporter was supposed to include the voices of beneficiaries to the two issues raised in article. Since both issues discussed in the article are meant to improve the lives of young and elderly women, it was important to have their voices in the story. News is mostly about ordinary people and in this case, the “economically disadvantaged women and girls” are what made this whole issues news hence a need to interview them.

Placement or positioning: the article was accorded prominence by placing it on page two of the paper. According to this paper, page two is occupied by issues of national interest hence making this gender story one.

Training exercise:
– If you were given an assignment to pursue this issue, what sources would you have interviewed and why?

– Discuss how the media may raise countrywide awareness on projects such as the one discussed in the article?

– Debate on whether women should be given re-usable sanitary wear or not.

Other training resources
– Access to sanitary supplies adds to gender inequality, GL Opinion and Commentary Service piece

– 2011 SADC Gender Protocol Barometer – chapter on health