Transcript Document

THE SADC GENDER PROTOCOL SUMMIT
2014
BINGU INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE
28TH APRIL, 2014
GENDER MAINSTREAMING MIJ FM RADIO
LLOYD KAISI PHIRI
GENDER CHAMPION
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SYNOPSIS
When MIJ was established over ten years ago, it did not believe in Gender mainstreaming in
all its processes and strategies. MIJ – for instance - did not have specific Radio
programmes that would address Gender issues. In its presentation, and production, the
use of gender-insensitive words e.g. Chairwoman, spokesman, was the order of the
day. In short, the word Gender did not exist in MIJ’s vocabulary. Perhaps that is because
most of the broadcasting staff had not gone through some formal trainings in Gender
Reporting.
But after the coming in of Gender Links, some four to five years ago, things started
changing for the better. This is because the organization started providing trainings to
the broadcasting staff on how they would treat gender issues in their programming. As
a result, MIJ now has specific programmes to address gender issues in the country
including the one called Gender ku Malawi.
As that is not enough, deserving women have been employed, empowered or promoted at
MIJ to work in key leadership positions. No wonder, three out of five key positions at
MIJ FM are now being held by women. These are positions of Executive Director
(Dalitso Nkunika, Station Manager (Roselyn Makhambera) as well as that of Course
Manager (Evelyn Pasanje).
On Editorial Issues, most challenging tasks, like production of some programmes that were
deemed challenging like production of Good Morning Malawi and manning of Night
shifts are no longer issues. All this because of vigorous In-house campaigns that were
aimed at ensuring that women are empowered to do what men do.
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OBJECTIVES
Key gender mainstreaming objectives of the institution
 To provide equal opportunities for employment and promotion to well-
deserving females.
 Ensuring that female candidates are given a platform to communicate to
their potential voters in a bid to achieve 50-50 representation of women
and men through the May 20 polls.
 To empower women with potential to work in challenging positions and
others to take challenging roles in a bid to achieve 50-50 representation.
 To have or use as many female sources as possible in various Radio
programmes.
 To have favourable policies that will go along way to protecting the
rights and integrity of women within and without MIJ.
 To provide adequate airtime to women who are doing great in the
society so that they act as role models to girls and some fellow women.
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RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS
Amount
local
currency (specify)
Gender specific allocation
Gender in mainstream projects (please
specify)
Amount contributed in cash or in kind
by partner organisations (please
specify)
Amount
in Rand
K5000.00 from the
monthly allocation
of K37, 000
This has mainly been through
services
There has been nothing
so far; the partners have
mainly been providing
Human resources for
trainings
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CHALLENGES
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A few number of dedicated females to take up some challenging tasks, just like men
in the Newsroom (inferiority complex) e.g. Production of Good Morning Malawi.
However, on this, we have been empowering the female Reporters to produce the
programme. As of now four of our female Reporters or Presenters, thus Chikondi
Kasambara, Brenda Kaonga, Alice Msangambe and Rachel Mhango are producing the
programme.
A few number of women sources in decision-making positions that are willing to take
questions from the media. We have been providing civic education on the need for
them to provide the information and some including Kitty Chinseu have now started
to be forthcoming with information.
A few number of organisations that have women in positions they can be allowed to
talk to the media e.g. FAM. We are also trying to provide civic education to them
through Editorial Comments and Special Reports on the benefits of having women in
decision-making positions.
The altitude problems that female decision-makers in the newsroom have towards
their subordinates. On this one we have also been advising them that no man is an
island such that they need to work on their relationship with their subordinates if
their job is to be made easier.
Qualifications and experience - Most women are not well-qualified and vastly
experienced to work in some positions that may need to be filled by people with
these attributes.
The Pull her Down Syndrome that is entrench in most women when their colleague is
in decision-making positions. Civic education has been provided on the same for
them to appreciate the importance of supporting themselves.
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RESULTS
Use one slide for each result, include examples of evidence
Women’s empowerment: Female Reporters and Presenters have been empowered to
produce challenging programmes like Good Morning Malawi. Following the
empowerment exercise that started last year, four of our female reporters or
presenters, thus Brenda Kaonga, Chikondi Mmanga, Alice Msangambe and
Rachel Mhango are producing the programme. And the next time I make similar
presentation, the number will have grown to 8 or 10.
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Men for change : Most of the individuals who have been behind Gender
Mainstreaming at MIJ FM have been men thus from the Board of Trustees down
to reporters in that men in board assisted by women in there have been
emphasising on the need to give more women a chance to work in decisionmaking positions at MIJ FM for example The Management has been seeing to it
that this is implemented on the ground. The same Management which has some
men in it has also been coming up with policies to see to it that more women are
given a chance to be heard on various issues on MIJ FM.
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Public participation: MIJ FM has ensured that the public take a crucial role in
gender mainstreaming
that through most of its participatory Phone-in
programmes like Democracy Forum and Gender ku Malawi.
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Changes at the work place: For 10 years that MIJ FM had been in existence, it had
been led by men that include Peter Mitunda and late Jika Nkolokosa. The
Management as well has also been dominated by men. But since 2011, the Media
Institution has been led by a woman with three of its 5 top positions now being
held by women.
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Capacity building: Most female presenters or reporters have had their capacity
built over the years in various areas including how they can report on issues of
Gender among other areas. Most females presenters and Reporters have been
sent to School to further their education . These include Roselyn Makhambera
(Station Manager) who before being sent to the Malawi Polytechnic , was just a
mere Presenter.
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Changes in attitudes: At first, there was a general perception by men in the
country that women can not lead ; the same was the issue at MIJ FM when it was
being led by men. Now that women are holding 3 of the 5 top most positions at
MIJ, the attitude has completely changes especially following positive changes
they have managed to bring to the institution.
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LESSON LEARNED AND INNOVATION
Effective gender mainstreaming can occur only if the following
are in place:
 A clear gender policy
 Training and capacity building
 Awareness creation and advocacy on gender mainstreaming
 Partnerships and networking for persons and institutions
 Research and information dissemination on gender issues
 Resources mobilization
 Monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
As of now, we are doing everything possible to have all these in
place to achieve our goal of mainstreaming gender.
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LEARNING AND SHARING WITH OTHER
ORGANISATIONS
As MIJ FM, we have learnt and
a lot when it comes to
Gender Mainstreaming,
from other local and
International
Media
Houses especially those
that participated at the
Gender Summits that
were held last year in
Malawi and South Africa.
These institutions include
Mauritius
Broadcasting
Corporation-MBC,
who
were winners in Media
Centre of Excellence.
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SUSTAINABILITY AND REPLICATION
 By organizing Refresher Trainings for the
Broadcasting staff for them to learn new issues
on how Gender can continue to be
mainstreamed at MIJ.
 MIJ can contribute to the cascading process
through Summits (like the one in progress)
where it can make presentations on the journey
it has walked in its efforts to mainstream Gender,
the lessons some can learn just as we have been
doing.
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KEY PRIORITIES FOR 2014
To
continue
with
special
programmes like Atsogoleri and
Chisankho 2014 in which female
candidates
were
explaining
development programmes they
have in store for their Wards,
Constituents, or Country once
elected into power in the 20 May
polls. All this with the aim of
achieving a 50-50 representation.
Fine-tune the Gender-Policy.
Continuing
with
the
empowering
of
female
Reporters and Presenters to be
producing the Good Morning
Malawi Programme (as shown
in the picture left)
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