Kigali Declaration on Gender Violence signed
Because gender violence is hardly newsworthy, a Declaration on Media and Gender Violence was adopted at the African Women in Media Conference on 1 December in Kigali, Rwanda.
The African Women in Media Organisation said the Declaration asserts that African media have the power to shape narratives and inform public knowledge on all forms of gender violence. “It recognises the urgent need for principles to guide media in their coverage of Gender Vviolence and in adequately combatting this type of violence experienced by staff in the line of duty,” they stated.
Chair of the Kigali Declaration Committee, Dr Sarah Macharia said the Declaration signals a commitment to meet the minimum measures agreed for each stakeholder group. “Findings from the Global Media Monitoring Project indicate that Gender Violence, the most pervasive form of human rights violations, is hardly newsworthy. In Africa, just 1% of stories cover this topic across all news platforms,” she added.
The Declaration marks a milestone for concerted commitment to change the picture,” she added.
Co-Founder and Chief Executive of African Women in Media, Dr Yemisi Akinbobola said the Declaration is an action plan that sets a minim standard for all stakeholders that impacts how media functions concerning African women and how Gender Violence is discussed in the media. “The Declaration is on a dedicated website, and individuals, organisations, association, regulators, platforms and all stakeholders can become signatories to the Declaration. By being signatories, they say they will abide by these minimum standards set for them as stakeholders.”
Senior Gender Advisor at Fojo Media Institute, Agneta Soderberg Jacobson informed that a grant-making component of the Declarations will support individuals and organisations to carry out related projects. She announced that the Institute has pledged US$, 000 to get them started.
“Research done by Fojo Media Institute and AWiM shows to what extent sexual harassment and gendered discrimination affect women in the media sector. The fact that women journalists consider leaving or have left the media sector because of sexual harassment is unacceptable. The Kigali Declaration has the potential to change the situation for the better and to contribute to more ethical and balanced reporting on Gender Violence,” she concluded.
