Media urged to support crusade for gender equality
The Forum for Women in Democracy has called on media to support the crusade for advancing gender equality.
During a media networking meeting held on the 30th October 2013 at Sheraton Hotel in Kampala, FOWODE and News editors from over 20 media houses discussed strategies of expanding spaces and opportunities fro learning as well as advancing gender equality, accountability and good governance
The meeting was also used to share with the media the women’s demands stipulated in the Uganda Women’s Agenda which calls for Government’s responsiveness towards women’s specific needs in education, health, ICT, environment, Women with special needs, health, democracy and governance, human rights and the Law, Peace, human security, an d dignity, Uganda in regional and international context, economic empowerment and institutional mechanisms.
Dr. Thelma Awori, the Honorary Consul General of Liberia in Uganda, who also gave the key note address, commended the media for the space and airtime dedicated to women and developmental issues all around Uganda. She gave examples of increasing cases of domestic violence, health, agriculture that are being reported in both the print and electronic media.
She also noted that the media plays a profoundly important role of defining the way in which national and global development issues are defined. With this, she called on the media to take on the mantle of profiling the Ugandan woman as a player and contributor to national development and not always portray woman as a ‘victim’. Media is a great space to reach specific groups and influence decision making in public policies. In this partnership, we seek to ensure that women are targeted and considered as a key stakeholder to participate and benefit from this space. We further need t work together to enhance media reporting that is geared towards holding government accountable for its actions or inaction, stated Dr. Thelma Awori.
The editors shared their concerns about the women’s movement accusing the movement of being disinclined specifically in regard t supporting and representing grassroots. They further complained about the slothful response to issues that affect the women especially that are often reported about the media. A good example was shared by Joshua Mutare, a news reporter from Simba radio who approached many women’s organisations to help the 23 year old woman who was allegedly raped by Pakistani business men living in Uganda. According to him, help was received but very late.
Chandia Steven from the New Vision asked that periodic trainings be conducted for journalists and emphasised that male journalist need to be targeted in this approach. Kalema Mose, an editor from The Observer asked FOWODE to include children rights issues in the Women’s Agenda specifically sexual exploitation. He cited an example of Asians that have been ferrying children from Gulu and raping them, but no Women’s NGO has ever responded.
FOWODE was urged to equip the women legislators in effective media engagement. Many editors complained for about the poor response fro women legislators who often shy away and rarely accept to be quoted in news articles. Continuous engagement with the media, revamping the female journalist Association were also strategies proposed for FOWODE to take on together with the Women’s Movement.
The Senior Programs Director for FOWODE, Mr. Julius Mukunda assured the editors that FOWODE was open to this networking aimed at supporting the media to be more effective watchdogs and gate keepers of gender equality and sustainable development. He emphasized that continues engagement of this nature will be organised by FOWODE as part of its objective of promoting gender equality and women’s ‘empowerment.
The meeting was also used to share with the media the women’s demands stipulated in the Uganda Women’s Agenda which calls for Government’s responsiveness towards women’s specific needs in education, health, ICT, environment, Women with special needs, health, democracy and governance, human rights and the Law, Peace, human security, an d dignity, Uganda in regional and international context, economic empowerment and institutional mechanisms.
Dr. Thelma Awori, the Honorary Consul General of Liberia in Uganda, who also gave the key note address, commended the media for the space and airtime dedicated to women and developmental issues all around Uganda. She gave examples of increasing cases of domestic violence, health, agriculture that are being reported in both the print and electronic media.
She also noted that the media plays a profoundly important role of defining the way in which national and global development issues are defined. With this, she called on the media to take on the mantle of profiling the Ugandan woman as a player and contributor to national development and not always portray woman as a ‘victim’. Media is a great space to reach specific groups and influence decision making in public policies. In this partnership, we seek to ensure that women are targeted and considered as a key stakeholder to participate and benefit from this space. We further need t work together to enhance media reporting that is geared towards holding government accountable for its actions or inaction, stated Dr. Thelma Awori.
The editors shared their concerns about the women’s movement accusing the movement of being disinclined specifically in regard t supporting and representing grassroots. They further complained about the slothful response to issues that affect the women especially that are often reported about the media. A good example was shared by Joshua Mutare, a news reporter from Simba radio who approached many women’s organisations to help the 23 year old woman who was allegedly raped by Pakistani business men living in Uganda. According to him, help was received but very late.
Chandia Steven from the New Vision asked that periodic trainings be conducted for journalists and emphasised that male journalist need to be targeted in this approach. Kalema Mose, an editor from The Observer asked FOWODE to include children rights issues in the Women’s Agenda specifically sexual exploitation. He cited an example of Asians that have been ferrying children from Gulu and raping them, but no Women’s NGO has ever responded.
FOWODE was urged to equip the women legislators in effective media engagement. Many editors complained for about the poor response fro women legislators who often shy away and rarely accept to be quoted in news articles. Continuous engagement with the media, revamping the female journalist Association were also strategies proposed for FOWODE to take on together with the Women’s Movement.
The Senior Programs Director for FOWODE, Mr. Julius Mukunda assured the editors that FOWODE was open to this networking aimed at supporting the media to be more effective watchdogs and gate keepers of gender equality and sustainable development. He emphasized that continues engagement of this nature will be organised by FOWODE as part of its objective of promoting gender equality and women’s ‘empowerment.
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