Women in Media in Africa adopt declaration on Media and Violence

Date: Friday, 15 December 2023

Participants pose for a group photo at the AWIM23 conference at the Marriot hotel in Kigali, Rwanda (Photo: Courtesy of AWIM) — Participants pose for a group photo at the AWIM23 conference at the Marriot Hotel in Kigali, Rwanda (Photo: Courtesy of AWIM)

In a landmark pronouncement, women drawn from the media and creative industries across Africa made a declaration on media and gender violence that was adopted at the African Women in Media conference (AWiM23) held on 1^st December 2023 in Kigali,Rwanda. The Kigali declaration addresses both representation of gender-based violence (GBV) in news media content and in news media organizations.

It acknowledges the media’s power to inform and influence the public’s understanding of GBV and sets out minimum measures for different groups of stakeholders in the media sector. Among the declaration’s key principles are that: media coverage of violence against women and girls should follow gender-ethical principles, the media portrayal and representation of survivors and victims of gender-based violence should be fair, balanced, unbiased and free of gender stereotypes and media organizations, associations and unions should address and combat sexual harassment and other forms of violence against women in the physical and online media workplace.

Mme. Jennet Kem, Country Representative for UN Women Rwanda (center) takes a selfie with other high level dignitaries at the AWIM23 gala dinner. (Photo: Courtesy of AWIM)

As part of the conference, UN Women East and Southern Regional Office (ESARO) premiered a film that was created as part of a short film festival produced by the office to promote individual advocacy as part of the 2023 16 days of Activism against Gender-based Violence campaign. The 10 short films in the festival were created by an all-women team of film makers from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique and Rwanda all centered around preventing and ending gender-based violence in line with the 2023 campaign theme, No Excuse for violence against women and girls.

Mme. Jennet Kem, Country Representative for UN Women Rwanda making remarks at the AWIM23 gala dinner. (Photo: UN Women/Geno Ochieng)

The film that premiered, Jirani by Tanzanian film maker Getrude Sigonda, tells a tale of a woman who notices that her neighbor might be going through gender-based violence and decides to act with her husband to help their neighbor access help.

Speaking at the premiere event, UN Women Rwanda Country Representative, Mme. Jennet Kem said, "Media wield the power to influence public opinion, mobilize the masses, and transform stereotypes and socio-cultural norms. Engaging the media cannot be taken as an afterthought. They must be recognized as our close partners, and an integral ally in our collective fight to eradicate gender-based violence.”