THE Federation of African Media Women Zimbabwe (FAMWZ) has expressed concerns at the low priority placed in reporting on gender equality by the media in Zimbabwe.
LINDA CHINOBVA OWN CORRESPONDENT
FAMWZ is an organisation whose objective is to lobby, advocate and facilitate the creation of a more gender sensitive and inclusive media environment in the country.
FAMWZ chairperson Patience Zirima said issues surrounding gender equality have been given little attention by the media and effectively reduced to a petty issue. Zirima said statistics showed that only 8% of gender equality issues are part of the entire media content in Zimbabwe.
Zimira felt the media must allocate supplementary space to issues based on gender equality.
“We call upon the media in Zimbabwe to devote more space to issue-based reporting on gender equality,” she said in a statement.
Zirima said despite the absence of gender equality issues in the media, research had shown that women countrywide are still interested in issues on gender.
“Gender equality is about equal opportunities and because of that, women around the country have not lost hope in the issues surrounding gender equality.”
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She called on the government to take the initiative by pushing for gender equality in the country.
“At government level, there must be policies that take up this paramount issue. As it is, there is low representation by women in Parliament and this on its own must push the government to fast track the issue of gender equality,” she said.
FAWMZ felt gender equality has since been ignored for years although it is enshrined in the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human rights, where the ultimate aim is to provide equality in law and equality in social situations, especially in democratic activities.
