The media policy arm of Gender Links aims to ensure that the SADC Gender Protocol targets of gender equality in and through the media are integrated into the work of regulatory authorities and media houses. Work with media houses began with the Media Action Plan on HIV and AIDS policies which involved developing gender aware HIV and AIDS policies with over 100 media houses across the region using the Diversity in Action handbook; a step by step guide to developing newsroom policies. Gender policy work builds on the success of a number of pilot projects with media houses in the region as well as the MAP initiative. GL has moved away from the six stage gender policy process to a much more sustained approach which ensures ongoing backstopping and support to media houses through the establishment of 100 Media Centres of Excellence for gender mainstreaming in the media. Stage four and five of the COE model involves developing and adopting a media house gender policy. The policy covers all faces of the media house: Editorial and programming, Marketing and Advertising and Human Resources.
