FAMWZ TURNS 25 by Chido Sibalo

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!
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