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Federation of African Media Women (FAMWZ) Newsletter
FAMWZ
March 15, 2002
Contents
Director’s
Brief TOP
Welcome to the
first edition of the FAMWZ newsletter for the year and I hope you
started the year on a good note.
It is however
distressing that the year has begun on a negative note with a lot
of changes and uncertainty for media practitioners in all news houses.
Of major concern however was the introduction of the draconian Access
to Information and Protection of Privacy Bill which we believe was
meant to yield opposite results from what it purports to do. While
MISA-Zimbabwe spearheaded lobbying and advocacy for the Bill’s amendments,
FAMWZ, together with various organisations, took a centre stage
in lobbying against the passing of the Bill. The Bill was tabled
in Parliament and passed into law with some amendments having been
made, and it is only wishful thinking that the powers that be do
not sign it into an Act.
With this in
mind, FAMWZ dedicated a Friday Network session to discuss issues
surrounding the Bill. Sarah Chiumbu, MISA-Zimbabwe director, unpacked
the Bill for the media women, who also gave their input on the implications
of the Bill to them.
The Development
Through Radio (DTR) programmes which were flight on ZBC radio Four,
(now National FM), were taken off air on 3 December 2001.because
of the new policies introduced by the corporation. The radio programme
had been on for the past 16 years and you can imagine the shock
we got when we were unceremoniously cut off air.
I’m sure the
majority of you are aware of the Organisational Process (ODP) that
FAMWZ has been undergoing for the past few months. As a culmination
of many months of work by the Board, Staff and the steering Committee,
the FAMWZ ODP is now at a conclusive stage. A strategic planning
document outlining policies and structures in now in place.
On February
25 media women joined the rest of the continent to commemorate Pan
African Media Women’s Day. Unfortunately, there were no activities
lined up due to financial constraints. We however managed to feature
on ZBC’s This Morning where media women outlined the gains that
media women had achieved in their contribution to the development
of women. During this talk, speakers also highlighted problems being
faced by media women as they execute their duties in various media
houses. As we affirm ourselves as media women, we should aim to
be gender-sensitive so that we can empower other women.
The world now
realises that the media is a powerful tool to change the mindset
and that it can bring about change in the fight for equity and empowerment.
A snap survey
conducted by the ZBC revealed that very few people, if any were
aware of the existence of such a day on their calendar which means
we have a lot of PR to do ladies!!. We already started awareness
campaigns by sending news release to all newsrooms highlighting
the day to the public.
Friday Network
has grown tremendously and so many new faces have been introduced
to the network ZBC has aired two sessions of the network. Summaries
of the six sessions held so far are summarized in the newsletter.
Friday Network
was temporarily suspended for two weeks, up to March 15 to pave
way for the presidential elections, which were held on March 9,
and 10. Since FAMWZ is a member of the Zimbabwe Election Support
Network (ZESN), staff and members took part in the election process
under the umbrella body of ZESN.
FAMWZ is concerned
with recent reports of sexual harassment in the newsrooms, It is
high time that this issue was openly discussed so that we find ways
of addressing this problem.
FAMWZ membership
circular started six months ago as a four page. The circular aimed
at updating all our stakeholders on the organisation’s activities.
However, the circular has grown tremendously and we have decided
to turn it into a bi-monthly newsletter, and we look forward to
suggestions and comments to improve it.
Abigail Gamanya
National
Director
FAMWZ
Organisational Development TOP
FAMWZ initiated
an organisational development process in December 2001. It was a
culmination of consultative meetings with all stakeholders.
Following these
meetings stakeholders agreed unanimously that FAMWZ needed to review
and clarify its strengths and limitations in relation to its mission,
programmes and methods of work. Hope Chigudu, an Organisational
Development Consultant, was engaged to lead this process.
In order to
fully address the issues which had been raised by stakeholders in
the brainstorming meetings a consultative meeting with members was
held on 15 December 2001 at Pamuzinda Safari Lodge. At this meeting
the members agreed that FAMWZ core-business would be three-fold;
training, lobbying and research. The organisation’s target and beneficiaries
were identified as professional media women including retired
ones, women in general, women’s organisations, universities and
other higher institutions of learning and the media.
Because all
the issues could not be exhausted in one day an organisational development
task force was set up and was mandated with carrying the process
forward and fully addressing outstanding issues raised. Co-opted
to the team were Lydia Mavhengere, Mavis
Moyo, Jennifer Sibanda, Reyhana Masters-Smith, Millie Phiri, Dorcas
Hove and Abigail
Gamanya.
Friday
Network TOP
Friday Network
has proved to be very popular and attendance has increased with
each session. Many story ideas have been generated which have been
used in both the print and electronic media. People from all walks
of life, ranging from directors of companies, gender activists,
professionals and students, are among the regular attendants. Detailed
minutes of the Friday Network are available upon request.
Summary of
the Friday Network meetings
Click
here for more on the following topics
- Access to
Information and Protection of Privacy Bill
- Media’s Portrayal
of Women Living With HIV/Aids
- The Sexual
Offences Act and how it Empowers Women in Sexual Matters
- Single Women
and Legal Guardianship
- The Female
Condom
PANOS
Project on DTR HIV/AIDS TOP
FAMWZ held a
two-day strategic planning workshop on January 22-23 for staff to
discuss
the implementation of the PANOS funded project and to compile a
logical framework
analysis. The workshop, which was facilitated by Consultant, Mr.
Wilfred Tichagwa,
sought to give staff a better understanding of strategic planning
in relation to
the project.
Presently FAMWZ
has completed phase one and two of the project which involved identifying
target groups, conducting a baseline survey to assess the awareness,
knowledge
and attitude of people on HIV/Aids and the purchase of radio receivers
for the
target groups.
Due to the inhibiting
political situation prevailing, it is difficult to go into rural
communities
and the project will only begin in earnest after the upcoming Presidential
elections.
The PANOS DTR
project on HIV/Aids is a result of the FAMWZ decision to focus on
supporting actions to prevent and reduce the spread of HIV/Aids
in Zimbabwe, with
emphasis on promoting women’s rights.
DTR
Update TOP
After the Zimbabwe
Broadcasting Corporation completed its restructuring process the
outcome
was not favourable to all NGOs and the private sector who have been
flighting their programmes and adverts through the corporation.
FAMWZ, amongst other NGOs were taken off air on 3 December 2001.
The government effected a legislation that states that all sponsored
programmes ZBC would be taken off the air.
We have since
written to the Chief Executive officer of ZBC, Alum Mpofu, and raised
our concerns on how the DTR programme was going to operate and on
which station it would be aired as well as the nature of the partnership
with ZBC, in view of the restructuring process. The ZBC CEO had
indicated that ZBC would want to continue to be identified with
this development project, which has been a success for women in
general and in particular the RLC at grassroots level. Discussions
with ZBC are still ongoing and an agreement is yet to be reached.
The current
political situation is risky for the DTR Coordinators to go into
rural areas and
this has affected the DTR visits to the RLCs. It is now a requirement
for all NGOs
working in the rural areas to seek permission from the Governor
and other party
structures before embarking on any programme in the area.
The
Secretariat TOP
Favour Chiware
left FAMWZ in January 2002 due to ill health. He was replaced by
Fungai Chitima, who is now FAMWZ’s substantive driver/messenger.
January/February
Activity Highlights TOP
In January and
February FAMWZ networked with various organisations.
- FAMWZ worked
closely with the Media
Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) in campaigning against
the passing of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy
Bill.
- WILDAF invited
FAMWZ to head a media committee which is tackling the issue of
violence and HIV/Aids.
- FAMWZ was
nominated as convenors of the International Women’s Day celebrations
in the Media and Publicity Taskforce of the organising committee
for celebrations to be held on 8 March. FAMWZ representative has
been attending planning meetings and doing all media and publicity
work.
- Zimbabwe
Union of Journalists (ZUJ) tasked FAMWZ to identify media women
to attend an election reporting workshop in Kariba. Some of the
media women who attended on behalf of FAMWZ were Sandra Nyaira,
Rhoda Mashavane and Dorcas Chirambwe.
- FAMWZ attended
a Zimbabwe
Election Support Network (ZESN) meeting to prepare for the
establishment of a command centre during the election period.
Articles
Published in the Press TOP
Few articles
were published because the focus since the beginning of the year
has been on the presidential elections.
- Did Beijing
Declaration for Action Bear Any Results
(The
Herald on 17 January 2002)
- Media
Portrays HIV/Aids Epidemic as Woman’s Fault
(The
Herald on 31 January 2002)
- Guardianship
Act Biased
The
Herald on 28 February 2002
FAMWZ
Contact Details TOP
Physical: 102
Samora Machel Avenue West, Harare
Postal:
P.O. Box UA 439, Union
Avenue, Harare
Telephone:
263-4-771071/756446-7
Fax: 263-4-770480
Email:
famwz@mweb.co.zw
If you would
like to receive a copies of the FAMW newsletter, contact Memory
Dete at FAMWZ
Visit the FAMWZ
fact sheet
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