THE SADC GENDER PROTOCOL SUMMIT 2015 Botswana, Tlotlo Hotel, 10 th August 2015 Presenter : Mercy C. Manja (Malawi Institute of Journalism) BLANYTYRE, MALAWI NOW AND POST 2015 ! YES WE MUST

“Tell me and I Forget Teach me and I Remember Involve me and I Learn” Benjamin Franklin

50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA SYNOPSIS Malawi Institute of journalism (MIJ) media training department was established in 1995 to improve quality of journalism in Malawi. MIJ offers Certificate and Diploma courses in Journalism.14 modules at Certificate and 12 at Diploma At MIJ, courses are designed to deal with emerging social &economic issues like Gender among others. These courses include Understanding and Reporting on Social issues, Multi-media News writing and Reporting, Photojournalism and Literature. NOW AND POST 2015 ! YES WE MUST

OBJECTIVES Uplift the status of women and the girl child by empowering them with knowledge of women’s rights in the advancement of their lives and country’s development. Encourage female journalists to join the mainstream journalism and remain and be able to endeavor in challenging areas of reporting- Investigative, Sports and Business reporting. Change the people’s mindset about the status of women in society. e.g. other customs portray women as inferiors. Encourage men to support women in their activities as they are trying to raise their status - men should look at the concept of Gender Equality as not a way of making women their competitors but co-partners in development. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA NOW AND POST 2015 ! YES WE MUST

BACKGROUND  Many female students were shunning away from the technical courses like Video Production, Desktop Publishing and Photojournalism.  As a result, even most of male students after joining the industry, focused on other areas of reporting like politics, sports among others neglecting Gender.  Also studies have shown that there is low representation of female journalists in the media industry making it a solely male domain though there has been an improvement recently.  In addition, female students’ journalists who go through our vigorous training end up being recruited in jobs that are not media related. Only few were the ones who joined the mainstream media. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA NOW AND POST 2015 ! YES WE MUST

KEY ACTIVITIES  Students conduct civic education in various communities with grass root people on emerging social issues.  They conduct awareness campaigns about HIV and AIDS as a Gender issue.  Community outreach programs e.g. donating to the needy e.g. flood victims  During these outreach programs; students also produce radio/TV documentaries.  Students participating in clubs and societies activities e.g. Drama, Environmental, Debate. NOW AND POST 2015 ! YES WE MUST

Students in outreach program-constructing shelters for flood victims

Students in a drama performance

RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA Amount local currency (specify) Amount in Rand Gender specific allocation K200,000  Production of documentaries (TV and Radio) on emerging issues like Gender K50,000 Amount contributed in cash or in kind by partner organisations (please specify)  Universal Industries (maize flour, biscuits)  Gift of Givers (blankets)  K150,000  500,000 TOTAL K900,000 16, NOW AND POST 2015 ! YES WE MUST

CHALLENGES A lot of female student journalists were not interested in some courses which traditionally are viewed as male course like Desktop Publishing, Video production and photojournalism. Solution MIJ media training introduced various clubs and societies where students started to register and participate like Creative media, Drama, writers club and MIJ TECH. Some of the clubs and societies deal with technical subjects like video production and photojournalism. NOW AND POST 2015 ! YES WE MUST

Students in video production

RESULTS a)Change in attitudes Female students are now developing interests in courses which were initially male dominated courses like Desktop Publishing and video production among others. Male students are also willing to work hand in hand to promote women empowerment. They consider women as co-partners in development and not competitors.

Brochures designed by female students

b) Change at policy making level and work place There has been an improvement in recruitment of female staff in the department. For instance, in 2014 there were 3 female lecturers and 13 male lecturers representing 23%. In 2015, the institution has tried to work towards achieving gender balance. Now there are six female lecturers and 14 male lecturers representing 42%.

c) Course content MIJ has implemented the new curriculum where we have a course ‘ Understanding and Reporting Social issues’ where Gender is a standalone topic. Also Photojournalism course has ‘Gender’ as a standalone topic.

d) Research projects by students 1. Under representation of female sports journalists in Malawi Media (A case study of MBC TV and Ufulu radio station) 2014 by Anastanzia Likambale Banda. 2. The impact of print media in promoting the rights of a girl child (Daily Times newspaper) 2014 by Chrissie Litete. 3. Effectiveness of the Media in fighting Gender based violence (Case study of Pakachere radio talk show) 2014 by Jessica Lameck. 4. How the daily times covered female parliamentarian candidates during the 2014 tripartite elections 2014 by Shyreen Zinyongo. 5. Involvement of female journalists in Business and Economics Reporting (A case study of Daily Times and Nation newspapers) 2014 Linda Nkhata. 6. Why there are fewer female media personnel in general compared to male counterparts? (A case study of MBC) 2014 by Rabson Kondowe.

e) Media Practice There has been a considerable increase in number of female students who have joined the mainstream media either as interns or permanent employees. For instance Leah Malimbasa ;Reporter; MIJ Radio ( joined 2015) Maureen Kawerama; Ufulu Radio now Dzimwe Radio station; Reporter and Presenter ( joined 2014) Linda Nkhata; Malawi Broadcasting Corporation; Reporter (joined 2014) Edna Mthobwa; MBC TV; Reporter ( joined 2015) Orama Chinamulungu; Reporter; Nations Publications Limited (joined 2013)

f)Capacity building Lecturers have been attending various training relating to gender which has acted as a good platform to continue factoring in gender in the curriculum. For instance in November 2014, there was a gender workshop on “16 days of activism”.

g) Assessment We have tried to factor a gender element in the courses that we teach students at both certificate and diploma level. E.g. students have been specifically assigned to tackle assignment relating to gender. In Radio and Television production; students have been assigned to produce a documentary on climate change in relation to gender violence”. Students write print stories on gender topic. When they submit these assignments; a grade is given which becomes part of the final assessment.

h) Public participation Students have grasped the concept of gender and conduct outreach programs relating to the same. They also conduct civic education and awareness campaigns on emerging socio- economic issues thereby interacting with the public.

some beneficiaries from the outreach program

LEARNING AND SHARING WITH OTHER ORGANISATIONS As MIJ, we have learnt a lot and was able to share our experience with other two media departments namely: The Journalism and Media Studies Department at The Malawi Polytechnic together with journalism Department at Blantyre International University (BIU). In 2014, MIJ as well as BIU were involved in curriculum review exercise though were doing it independently from each other. Then the Malawi polytechnic via the journalism and media studies department facilitated the exercise. In June 2015, where there were oral presentations on the implementation plan of the new curriculum; it is where MIJ started to share how it has benefited from Gender mainstreaming program. NOW AND POST 2015 ! YES WE MUST

SUSTAINABILITY AND REPLICATION By supporting and promoting students who conduct research projects relating to gender. By documenting the works done by students so that they should act as models for the continuing students. By inviting female students who are thriving in the mainstream media as guest speakers. How can the work be cascaded to other institutions? By sharing the knowledge, experience and impact of gender mainstreaming in journalism education through various platforms. NOW AND POST 2015 ! YES WE MUST

KEY PRIORITIES FOR Achieve higher retention rate of our female students in the mainstream media. NOW AND POST 2015 ! YES WE MUST