AU TRAINS JOURNALISTS ON FGM AND CHILD MARRIAGE REPORTING IN AFRICA

 

By ANNIE ZULU in Nairobi Kenya

Over 30 Journalists from East and Southern Africa  gathered in Nairobi, Kenya for a three-day media training on ‘Sensitive Reporting on Harmful Practices.'

The training organized by the African Union (AU) Ending Harmful Practices Unit in collaboration with the Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme, UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation, and partners kicked off last week and brought together 34 media practitioners and scholars from ten countries including Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, and Somalia.

 

Journalists from 10 countries attended the training on sensitive reporting on FGM and Child Marriage

The event aimed to garner the support of media representatives and university journalism faculty members in leading media sector actions and reforms toward ethical, informed, balanced, human rights-focused and victim-sensitive reporting on harmful practices.

The journalists were drawn from AU member states currently implementing the African Union campaigns on ending Child marriage and eliminating female genital mutilation.  

Journalists engaged in the training will form a network of journalists reporting on FGM and child marriage in Africa. 

Despite critical progress being made in eliminating FGM, an estimated 55 million girls under the age of 15 in 28 African countries have experienced or are at risk of experiencing FGM.

Globally, one in every five girls is formally married or in an informal union, before reaching age 18. In developing countries, that number rises to 36 percent of girls married before age 18, and 10 percent of girls married before age 15. 

In his remarks to participants, UNFPA Kenya Deputy Representative Dr Ezizgeldi Hellenov noted that journalists have a role to play in raising awareness on sensitive social issues such as FGM and child marriage, while upholding the rights and dignity of survivors.

“The media is trusted to shape public discourse through balanced reporting, and must hold policy-makers and other actors accountable when it comes to creating a safer and more equal world for women and girls,” said Dr. Hellenov. 
 
In line with the African Union campaigns on the elimination of FGM  and child marriage, participants engaged in the training will form part of an Africa-wide network of Media practitioners reporting on harmful practices.

The network will facilitate coordinated and engaged media coverage while allowing members to share experiences, lessons learned, and best practices in human rights focussed reporting against Harmful practices that affect women and girls in Africa.

In addition, there will be an annual award and recognition event for the top three outstanding media practitioners reporting on harmful practices on the continent.

A second similar training programme is planned in the West and Central Africa region, covering ten countries, including Niger, Nigeria, Mauritania, Egypt, Chad, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Liberia.

 

GEWEL PROJECT SUCCESS RATE ELATES MINISTER

By ANNIE ZULU

The Girls Education, Women Empowerment and Livelihood (GEWEL) Project has made tremendous progress in alleviating poverty levels in Zambia since its inception, Community Development and Social Services Minister Doreen Mwamba has said.

Ms Mwamba noted that the key results for the project included the Supporting Women's Livelihood (SWL) component which has reached approximately 96, 368 women and the Keeping Girls in School (KGS) component with over 70, 514 beneficiary girls. 

The Minister also mentioned the Social Cash Transfer (SCT), as another key result area for the project with over 973, 323 beneficiaries. 

She was speaking when she accompanied World Bank Regional Vice President Dr. Victoria Kwakwa to meet some of the project's beneficiaries at Nampundwe Secondary School in Shibuyunji District. 

"As of 30th June 2022, which is the middle of the project, the budget burn down stood at 49.85%, this is despite the setbacks during the Covid 19 outbreak," Ms. Mwamba said.

 

Hon. Mwamba interacts with pupils at Nampundwe Secondary School in Shibuyunji District.

Speaking at the same event, General Education Minister Dr. Douglas Siakalima  thanked World Bank for partnering with Government in financing the project, stressing that the project has improved livelihoods for many Zambians, especially women and girls.

Meanwhile, Dr Kwakwa has assured the New Dawn Government of support from the World Bank on projects that are aimed at alleviating poverty and improving the livelihoods of Zambians. 

She also commended Government for meeting majority of the targets of the GEWEL project.

"We recognize the efforts by the New Dawn Government in alleviating poverty and promoting gender equality, as World Bank we support such efforts," Dr. Kwakwa said. 

And when giving a vote of thanks, a parent Margaret Tembo testified that the GEWEL project has changed the lives of women and girls in Shibuyunji. 

"Through the project, women are able to do business and feed their families. Girls are being supported and encouraged to be in school," she said. 

The GEWEL project is a Cash Plus Social Protection programme that support the poorest families in Zambia with cash transfers which empowers them to reduce their poverty levels over the longer term through complementary interventions of Supporting Women's Livelihoods (SWL) and Keeping Girls in School (KGS) layered over the same households.