Over the years women have had minimum access to the media either as news reporters or as sources of news. Two and half decades after the birth of the Federation of African Media Women Zimbabwe (FAMWZ) in 1985, an organisation which was established to operate as a platform for media women in Zimbabwe, Zimbabwean women have continued to be marginalized in all spheres of the media. As the organisation turns 25 years this year, let’s look back and see how FAMWZ has contributed to women empowerment in the various sectors of the media in Zimbabwe.
The Federation of African Media Women Zimbabwe {FAMWZ} was established out of the realisation that there was need to address unequal gender relations in the country. The formation of FAMWZ made it a voice to the voiceless media women and grassroots communities. Since time immemorial, media women have had to fight for such big positions as line editors, assistant editors, chief sub-editors or even editors-in-chief. Such positions would give them power to also influence policies in media institutions. This has however changed in the recent times with a few women being elevated to positions of influence with the likes of Faith Zaba (political editor-Zimbabwe Independent), Ropafadzo Mapimhidze (Chief Sub Editor of News Day), Norah Spie (Deputy Editor of News Day), Ruth Butaumocho (The Herald Entertainment Editor), Emilia Zindi (Sunday Mail Agriculture Editor) now breaking the ice into positions that were often reserved for male journalists. The same change is now evident even in the allocation of beats; women are slowly featuring in hard beats or traditionally male-dominated beats such as sports and politics.
However this has not been an easy road for media women. It has taken the support of women’s organisations such as FAMWZ and founder members like Mavis Moyo, a retired and veteran broadcaster, Dorcas Hove, the late Jennifer Makunike among others. The Federation of African Media Women –Zimbabwe (FAWMZ) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that was established in 1985 as a voluntary association of women in the print and electronic media. It is registered as a non-profit trust. The organisation was formed out of the realisation that women were marginalized in mainstream media and publishing activities hence issues of importance to them were trivialised. Men controlled media houses either as owners or employers; hence information was either broadcasted or published in their favour. Upon its formation FAMWZ conducted a lot of activities in order to give female journalists a platform to be heard and in turn the grassroots communities.
Amongst the activities, there was what was termed Friday Networking meetings where media women met in an informal arena to discuss issues of mutual interest. Male journalists turned the legendary quill clubs into boy zones where female journalists dared to go, so these meetings gave female journalists an arena to meet and discuss issues that affected media women, in an environment which was not intimidating to them.
FAMWZ also initiated a gender media monitoring exercise. Currently newspapers being analyzed are The Herald, the Sunday Mail, the Financial Gazette and the Zimbabwe Independent. The primary aim of the gender media monitoring was to analyse the mainstream media’s coverage of issues, mainly the portrayal of women and the extent to which they are allowed voice by the media, ensuring gender inclusiveness in the media.
For women in the grassroots, FAMWZ established what was known as the Development Through Radio (DTR) project. The project was seen as a strategy for accessing of radio and thus information by rural people, thus using the media to empower marginalized communities of Zimbabwe.
FAMWZ is committed to bridging the gap in as far as women’s information needs are concerned. The organisation also collaborates with other women’s organisations in the dissemination of gender sensitive information. FAMWZ also has a newsletter: FOKAS targeted at the various stakeholders and is designed to enhance their understanding of gender concerns in and issues. The organisation has various stakeholders and these include media practitioners, women in general, community workers, researchers, universities and other higher institutions of learning, government policy makers and implementers, members of parliament, gender practitioners and those organisations visibly interested in gender equality.
With such activities being conducted by FAMWZ for media, there is hope for gender inclusiveness and sensitivity in the way journalists work.
As we celebrate 25 years of existence, we hope to work with more media women in advancing their cause as well as empower them to realise their potential and their fellow sisters’ – ordinary women.
Aluta continua!
~End~
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
FAMWZ TURNS 25
Over the years women have had minimum access to the media either as news reporters or as sources of news. Two and half decades after the birth of the Federation of African Media Women Zimbabwe (FAMWZ) in 1985, an organisation which was established to operate as a platform for media women in Zimbabwe, Zimbabwean women have continued to be marginalized in all spheres of the media. As the organisation turns 25 years this year, let’s look back and see how FAMWZ has contributed to women empowerment in the various sectors of the media in Zimbabwe.
The Federation of African Media Women Zimbabwe {FAMWZ} was established out of the realisation that there was need to address unequal gender relations in the country. The formation of FAMWZ made it a voice to the voiceless media women and grassroots communities. Since time immemorial, media women have had to fight for such big positions as line editors, assistant editors, chief sub-editors or even editors-in-chief. Such positions would give them power to also influence policies in media institutions. This has however changed in the recent times with a few women being elevated to positions of influence with the likes of Faith Zaba (political editor-Zimbabwe Independent), Ropafadzo Mapimhidze (Chief Sub Editor of News Day), Norah Spie (Deputy Editor of News Day), Ruth Butaumocho (The Herald Entertainment Editor), Emilia Zindi (Sunday Mail Agriculture Editor) now breaking the ice into positions that were often reserved for male journalists. The same change is now evident even in the allocation of beats; women are slowly featuring in hard beats or traditionally male-dominated beats such as sports and politics.
However this has not been an easy road for media women. It has taken the support of women’s organisations such as FAMWZ and founder members like Mavis Moyo, a retired and veteran broadcaster, Dorcas Hove, the late Jennifer Makunike among others. The Federation of African Media Women –Zimbabwe (FAWMZ) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that was established in 1985 as a voluntary association of women in the print and electronic media. It is registered as a non-profit trust. The organisation was formed out of the realisation that women were marginalized in mainstream media and publishing activities hence issues of importance to them were trivialised. Men controlled media houses either as owners or employers; hence information was either broadcasted or published in their favour. Upon its formation FAMWZ conducted a lot of activities in order to give female journalists a platform to be heard and in turn the grassroots communities.
Amongst the activities, there was what was termed Friday Networking meetings where media women met in an informal arena to discuss issues of mutual interest. Male journalists turned the legendary quill clubs into boy zones where female journalists dared to go, so these meetings gave female journalists an arena to meet and discuss issues that affected media women, in an environment which was not intimidating to them.
FAMWZ also initiated a gender media monitoring exercise. Currently newspapers being analyzed are The Herald, the Sunday Mail, the Financial Gazette and the Zimbabwe Independent. The primary aim of the gender media monitoring was to analyse the mainstream media’s coverage of issues, mainly the portrayal of women and the extent to which they are allowed voice by the media, ensuring gender inclusiveness in the media.
For women in the grassroots, FAMWZ established what was known as the Development Through Radio (DTR) project. The project was seen as a strategy for accessing of radio and thus information by rural people, thus using the media to empower marginalized communities of Zimbabwe.
FAMWZ is committed to bridging the gap in as far as women’s information needs are concerned. The organisation also collaborates with other women’s organisations in the dissemination of gender sensitive information. FAMWZ also has a newsletter: FOKAS targeted at the various stakeholders and is designed to enhance their understanding of gender concerns in and issues. The organisation has various stakeholders and these include media practitioners, women in general, community workers, researchers, universities and other higher institutions of learning, government policy makers and implementers, members of parliament, gender practitioners and those organisations visibly interested in gender equality.
With such activities being conducted by FAMWZ for media, there is hope for gender inclusiveness and sensitivity in the way journalists work.
As we celebrate 25 years of existence, we hope to work with more media women in advancing their cause as well as empower them to realise their potential and their fellow sisters’ – ordinary women.
Aluta continua!
~End~
The Federation of African Media Women Zimbabwe {FAMWZ} was established out of the realisation that there was need to address unequal gender relations in the country. The formation of FAMWZ made it a voice to the voiceless media women and grassroots communities. Since time immemorial, media women have had to fight for such big positions as line editors, assistant editors, chief sub-editors or even editors-in-chief. Such positions would give them power to also influence policies in media institutions. This has however changed in the recent times with a few women being elevated to positions of influence with the likes of Faith Zaba (political editor-Zimbabwe Independent), Ropafadzo Mapimhidze (Chief Sub Editor of News Day), Norah Spie (Deputy Editor of News Day), Ruth Butaumocho (The Herald Entertainment Editor), Emilia Zindi (Sunday Mail Agriculture Editor) now breaking the ice into positions that were often reserved for male journalists. The same change is now evident even in the allocation of beats; women are slowly featuring in hard beats or traditionally male-dominated beats such as sports and politics.
However this has not been an easy road for media women. It has taken the support of women’s organisations such as FAMWZ and founder members like Mavis Moyo, a retired and veteran broadcaster, Dorcas Hove, the late Jennifer Makunike among others. The Federation of African Media Women –Zimbabwe (FAWMZ) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that was established in 1985 as a voluntary association of women in the print and electronic media. It is registered as a non-profit trust. The organisation was formed out of the realisation that women were marginalized in mainstream media and publishing activities hence issues of importance to them were trivialised. Men controlled media houses either as owners or employers; hence information was either broadcasted or published in their favour. Upon its formation FAMWZ conducted a lot of activities in order to give female journalists a platform to be heard and in turn the grassroots communities.
Amongst the activities, there was what was termed Friday Networking meetings where media women met in an informal arena to discuss issues of mutual interest. Male journalists turned the legendary quill clubs into boy zones where female journalists dared to go, so these meetings gave female journalists an arena to meet and discuss issues that affected media women, in an environment which was not intimidating to them.
FAMWZ also initiated a gender media monitoring exercise. Currently newspapers being analyzed are The Herald, the Sunday Mail, the Financial Gazette and the Zimbabwe Independent. The primary aim of the gender media monitoring was to analyse the mainstream media’s coverage of issues, mainly the portrayal of women and the extent to which they are allowed voice by the media, ensuring gender inclusiveness in the media.
For women in the grassroots, FAMWZ established what was known as the Development Through Radio (DTR) project. The project was seen as a strategy for accessing of radio and thus information by rural people, thus using the media to empower marginalized communities of Zimbabwe.
FAMWZ is committed to bridging the gap in as far as women’s information needs are concerned. The organisation also collaborates with other women’s organisations in the dissemination of gender sensitive information. FAMWZ also has a newsletter: FOKAS targeted at the various stakeholders and is designed to enhance their understanding of gender concerns in and issues. The organisation has various stakeholders and these include media practitioners, women in general, community workers, researchers, universities and other higher institutions of learning, government policy makers and implementers, members of parliament, gender practitioners and those organisations visibly interested in gender equality.
With such activities being conducted by FAMWZ for media, there is hope for gender inclusiveness and sensitivity in the way journalists work.
As we celebrate 25 years of existence, we hope to work with more media women in advancing their cause as well as empower them to realise their potential and their fellow sisters’ – ordinary women.
Aluta continua!
~End~
Saturday, May 22, 2010
ADVICE TO MY FELLOW SISTERS
Elders say regretting does not help at all. You only get back to your senses after getting into trouble and you realize it was not worthy it. One might think she is enjoying life not knowing that she will be digging her own grave. In life one should listen when advice is being given. A person can only lose virginity once. For I say I feel pity for the girl child since they should listen to wise words from wise people, but they say they take advice from their parents only. Those who do not take other people’s advice will face the consequences.
In the end one will be the laughing stock, only because we choose not to listen when advice is given. Most of us girl children believe that, we have to enjoy now because death is inevitable. This is true yes, but in our enjoyment, we lose focus, we run after things that do not help us. Most of us are dropping out of school because of unwanted pregnancies, HIV and Aids, Sexually transmitted diseases and so forth. Most of my friends have gotten new names because of their bad behaviour; some are now being called ‘service girls’, who give sex gratification to some boys on their way from school. It’s a pity my fellow sisters because it is not boys who fall pregnant, it is us girls, so I say to you all, let us be on guard and be focused. Boys are luring some of us into bed and after this, they have nothing to do with us, so guys I say let us stand for what we believe in and what we believe in is a focused life, good behaviour, good health and most of all education. Stop practising premarital sex to avoid contracting HIV and Aids. We know for a fact that in our culture, girls who lose their virginity before they get married suffer most in their marriages because virginity is treasured. It is a symbol of purity, cleanliness and freshness in girls. I say to you all be on the guard, when a fruit is plugged out from the tree it will never stick back to the tree. It is very important to safeguard our lives for a better and brighter future. Thank you
By Abisheilla Muswaka
I DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL BECAUSE OF PREGNANCY
Letters to the editor:
In the year 2007, I was doing form two. Unfortunately I lost both parents. My brother in law requested a second wife from my grandmother whom I lived with. During the school holiday my grandmother sent me to spend the holiday at my brother-in- law’s place. Unknowingly, I was happy to be away from my grandmother since she used to ill treat at times. I did not know that my grandmother and my brother-in-law had already sealed a deal and agreed that I was going to be his second wife. At first my brother- in-law used to buy me everything that I wanted. As we were about to end school holidays my brother- in -law informed me that I was no longer going back to my grandmother’s place, but I was now going to be second wife. I was shocked to receive such bad news. He forced me into having sex with him and I fell pregnant. I was hurt because that was the end of my education. Had I known my brother- in- law’s mission, I would not have accepted to go to his place. It is very difficult to be an orphan probably if my parents were alive this would not have happened to me. All I want is to alert all girls out there through my letter so that they do not fall into the same trap. It is important for girls to know their rights, education is life. Thank you for understanding my problem.
Author in pain
FATHER RAPES HIS OWN DAUGHTER
BY ASHITON CHAWIRA AND SARAH MUSONZA
In a shocking incident that left the Dzandura community in Seke District shell shocked, a middle-aged man, raped his 12 year – old daughter who had been left under his care by her mother who had gone to work at a nearby farm.
One of the villagers who refused to be named for fear of victimisation told the Fokas reporter that because of this incident, the girl who was now in her final year of her primary level, had to drop out of school.
She became a victim of sexual abuse since 2008 up until a few months ago when she fell sick and finally had the guts to report the matter to her mother.
It is believed after raping her almost on a daily basis, the father would threaten her with death if she ever told anybody about the different rape incidences.
‘This man developed a habit of raping his daughter almost everyday. He took advantage since he used to spend more time with the children alone. One day he sent his young daughter to fetch water so that he could rape his daughter without disturbance,” said one of the villagers.
“When she came back, she saw her father coming out of the bedroom followed by her older sister who was looking unhappy and withdrawn,” she added.
She added that when the mother came back from work, her daughter told her that she was very sick and was in pain, but did not divulge the nature of her sickness to her since she was afraid.
“The abused child could no longer contain the pain anymore,” the villager added.
The sick child was then taken to the clinic for treatment by her disturbed mother and the child then reported the sexual abuse by her father to the nurse who attended to her and narrated everything that had transpired.
The nurse discovered that the child had developed sores on her private parts and puss was coming out of them. It is believed the child contracted a sexual transmitted infection as a result of the continued abuse.
The perpetrator was arrested after the case was reported to the police. The parents of the child were unaware when the police arrived at the clinic.
The mother of the child could not contain shock; hence she collapsed when her husband was picked up by the Police.
Some woman who also preferred anonymity said the child suffers some form of mental sickness or instability since the incident. She is withdrawn and does not feel comfortable with mixing and mingling with her age mates or other children.
Mrs. Winnet Manyere, one of the FAMWZ programme front runners in Seke castigated fathers who abuse their children and said stern sentences should be given to such offenders since they are a threat to the community.
“It is every child’s rights to grow up with their parents in a good manner and be protected from diseases especially in light of the deadly HIV and AIDS pandemic,” Manyere said.
THE LIFE OF AN ORPHAN BY LORAH TSINYE
Truly losing parents, Day and night I have no food
At home I have no rest with daily chores
No books, no pens for me to use at school
Even a satchel to carry my books
No school fees for me
When I get to school
I am sent back to collect school fees
When l get home,
Daily chores will be waiting for me,
But no food
Food will be cooked and everybody at home eat except me,
I only wash dishes
If I decide to go and play with other children
They ask me, did you finish all your chores?
At home I have no rest with daily chores
No books, no pens for me to use at school
Even a satchel to carry my books
No school fees for me
When I get to school
I am sent back to collect school fees
When l get home,
Daily chores will be waiting for me,
But no food
Food will be cooked and everybody at home eat except me,
I only wash dishes
If I decide to go and play with other children
They ask me, did you finish all your chores?
I am not educated but I want to be a nurse,
I want to be in the police force, be a teacher or doctor,
But because I have no qualifications, I am not educated
This will remain a pipe dream for me
My life is astray, my life is meaningless
All they tell me is to forget about a profession and be married for them to get a bride price
Truly I have no rest
Is this the meaning of being an orphan?
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