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Her Media Diary Episode 33: “Making the Difference” with Mwape Kumwenda
16 Plays1 month ago
Mwape Kumwenda is an accomplished journalist and co-founder of Crown TV, Zambia with over 1o years of experience. She shares her experience growing up in Kabwe, Zambia where she witnessed firsthand the vulnerabilities faced by women and girls in her community. This early exposure to gender-based violence fueled her passion for justice, initially leading her to aspire to become a lawyer. However, circumstances led her to journalism, where she found a powerful platform to amplify the voices of the voiceless.
Mwape’s story speaks to the need for women in media to rise to the top of their careers to ensure adequate representation and ultimately reduce gender-based violence in and through the media.
Subscribe to Her Media Diary now on your favourite podcasting platform https://linktr.ee/hermediadiary
Learn about African Women in Media at https://africanwomeninmedia.com
List of Organisations/Resources to Support Women in Media
· International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF)
· African Women in Media (AWiM)
· Public Media Women in Leadership
· International Journalists’ Network (IJNet)
· Kigali Declaration on the Elimination of Gender Violence
· Media Career Development Network
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Transcript
Women in Media Leadership: Addressing Gender Imbalance
00:00:04
Speaker
When I got into the Media Owners Association, then I realized that we're only about three or four women. in the association and I was like, ah, we have a serious problem in the media. Little progress is better than nothing at all, but we want to have much more ah progress made in terms of women representation in the media institution because above all, we're the ones that are affected when there is a sexual harassment in the media. It's the women that are affected because they have to look up to the men to you know give them certain favors. When we have a woman editor in chief,
00:00:40
Speaker
There's no threat of sexual harassment because then it would feel protected. So yeah, we keep encouraging ourselves. We keep encouraging each other to rise to the position. We can only push ourselves to the top that we deserve to be.
Introducing Her Media Diary: A Mission for Gender Equality
00:01:01
Speaker
Imagine a world where we have gender equality and equity in and through media. That is our mission at African Women in Media. I'm Dr. Yem-Siya Kimobola, your host, and this is Her Media Diary, a podcast that captures the lived experiences of African women working in media industries. In this episode, I'm joined by Umuamwe Komwenda, an accomplished journalist and co-founder of Crown TV in Zambia.
00:01:27
Speaker
with over 10 years of experience. Wampae shares her experience growing up in Kapwe, in Zambia, where she witnessed first-hand the vulnerabilities faced by women and girls in her community. This early exposure to gender-based violence fueled her passion for justice, initially leading her to aspire to become a lawyer. However, circumstances led her to journalism, where she found a powerful platform to amplify the voices of those who are often unheard.
00:01:54
Speaker
Throughout this series, we'll be in conversation with some of the signatories of the Kigali Declaration on the Elimination of Gender Violence in and through media in Africa by 2034, which is an initiative co-designed with the African women in media community.
Guest Spotlight: Umuamwe Komwenda's Motivations and Journey
00:02:07
Speaker
And in these conversations, we'll find out how these individuals have implemented the tenets of the declaration in their work as media practitioners. By inviting these voices into conversation, we hope to provide solutions to breaking down barriers faced by African women in media.
00:02:35
Speaker
It's great to have you on the podcast. Thank you so much for joining us. You are an accomplished journalist with over a decade of experience in Zambia, media in Zambia, and a very courageous one because you've won the Courage and Journalism Award from the IWMF, so that the International Women's Media Foundation. And you've also won another one with them Free Press Unlimited. And this is kind of because of work you've done investigating those in power.
00:03:05
Speaker
Right? yeah And the kind of physical harm and potential harm that they put you through as a result of that. But I always like to start off episodes of the podcast, getting to know the person that I'm interviewing. Now I read somewhere that you initially wanted to become a lawyer before changing to become a journalist. So tell me about growing up and how you kind of became to aspire to these fields.
00:03:29
Speaker
Okay, so I grew up in a small town called Kawe in the central part of Zambia. And I grew up in a family mostly dominated by boys. I'm the second born in the family who was seven. I lost my immediate young brother in a car crash. I'm the second child in the family.
00:03:49
Speaker
and the first female in the family. And my last two young sisters came at the very tail end. They are the last ones actually to be born in the family. So I literally grew up in the family of men. And I could feel the protection of my brothers around me. And we kept a few cousins who are also men. So relatively, I grew up in a male dominated environment.
00:04:16
Speaker
And I felt a bit protected, but I could see a sense of vulnerability among the girls in the central part of Zambia, mostly due to high poverty levels in central province of Zambia. And I could see a lot of young girls being victims of gender-based violence and a little knowledge around seeking justice for cases of gender-based violence, rape and defilement.
00:04:43
Speaker
And with me, I was being protected by my brothers and they felt this need for me also to stand out for others who felt insecure and who were not protected. So growing up and going to school, I thought I could be a lawyer because in that particular province where I was, there were few lawyers.
Journalism as Advocacy: Seeking Justice and Social Change
00:05:03
Speaker
And there were few opportunities for vulnerable women and girls to seek justice because legal fees were a bit expensive and people would opt to keep quiet about the violations that they were facing. And so my interest was to become that particular lawyer because I knew there were government lawyers that would give legal services on a pro bono basis. And I thought I could be one of those lawyers that could help the girls and women in in that particular province.
00:05:31
Speaker
But after ah graduating, I couldn't enroll into the School of Law because I needed to wait for the second school calendar year. And I felt it could be too much for me to wait. My father was not well at the time. And I wanted to ah get back to school real quick while my dad was able to you know ah cover my bills. And hence, I enrolled into the School of Generalism, of course, at the advice of my husband now.
00:05:59
Speaker
um felt that through media we could spread news around violation of women and girls on issues to do with gender-based violence. So I got into the media to basically give media coverage to victims of gender-based violence and I did quite a number of stories and locally I got to be awarded for the best gender reporting. I think it should have been 2015 And I proceeded to do court reporting. So I'll do stories from the community and then persuade the law enforcers to take up matters and then I'll still follow them up to the courts of law and ensure that justice prevails. So basically, um somehow I felt I had accomplished my desire to seek justice.
00:06:46
Speaker
And I think because of the reportage I've done over the years, there's been more awareness on gender-based violence cases and more cases are being reported. And we saw eventually the establishment of the fast track court to deal with gender-based violence, which I felt I played a part because I was part of the awareness. Yeah, there's a consistent kind of theme about seeking justice and particularly around gender-based violence.
00:07:13
Speaker
Reflecting back on your early years, was there a pivotal moment or a pivotal event that really shaped your mind towards that area? Well, while at school, I think I had an encounter with one of a friend of mine in school, back in primary school, who was a victim of defilement and how they struggled to get justice for that particular case because they were vulnerable, they couldn't seek legal services, they couldn't you know convince the law enforcers to act on their cases.
00:07:42
Speaker
And they ended up just being silenced like that. um That particular incident while I was young, but I could feel the pain of my friend. I could feel the pain of the family in failing to seek justice for that particular case. And I thought it could be one of the reasons why I should push forward and then try to make a difference in my community. Yeah. And as a reporter, there are several stories I wrote about children being defiled.
00:08:09
Speaker
One particular case was involving this prophet, a man of God. um this This child was taken for prayers because they had some complications in their stomach. And this pastor decides to take advantage of this girl and defiles this girl and then she feels pregnant and has a child at the age of 14 years. I covered that story from the parents complaining to now pursuing the police to act. In this past I was eventually arrested and convicted for 15 years. I followed it up until the Supreme Court, he appealed against the 15 year jail term and went to the Supreme Court. I followed it to the Supreme Court and this person
00:08:52
Speaker
was again the jail term was increased at the Supreme Court to 25 years so that was like one of the stories I consistently covered I think that was one of the stories referred to when I was given the award for the best gender reporting because I covered that story I think for about four to five years until justice was was saved so it's it's one of those stories that I'm I look at and I feel a sense of job satisfaction in that I pursue the story from the community and to the courts of law. I feel it's it's it's one of the stories I could refer to in encouraging journalists to pursue a story, to be more resilient and more persistent in pursuing a story. It's not about telling a story, but it's about
Challenges in Journalism: Resilience and Integrity
00:09:39
Speaker
achieving results at the end of the day. and having some kind of impact and positive action come out of it. I'm i'm really interested to hear more about this personality that I see coming out of you around resilience and does that just doggedness and really following, you know, they they say it's like a dog with a bone, like not letting go, so to speak, right? Where does that personality come from?
00:10:02
Speaker
Well um my dad was an auditor and I could see him passionately writing audit reports covering government institutions and I could see a sense of dissatisfaction in his work because he felt he would do a lot of good work and just merely present the reports and no one is arrested for the corruption that he could have violated in this audit report and I told myself I wouldn't want to be and that person in my dad's shoe who would just write a report and it ends there because the Office of the Auditor General has no prosecuting powers. So because of that, their work ends at documenting the reports. So I felt as a journalist, I have access to law to the law enforcers and I could pursue them to you know doing something about the cases that I brought out.
00:10:56
Speaker
And so im it has worked for me that when I want to to get results out of a story, I'm able to pursue different institutions because I have the access. Yeah. Yeah. So I didn't want to be that frustrated generally. So just tell a story and it ends there. I saw the frustration in my dad's when his he was doing his audit reports and and I felt I could be different. I could do something else. I could persuade justice.
00:11:24
Speaker
So now, obviously you've experienced reports on these kinds of stories, right? And you've seen the outcome of your hard work. You've seen the results of your hard work and the justice it has secured for the survivors and victims. What does it take for you to go through that journey? I mean, you talked about staying with a story for three years, dealing with somebody who is you know trying to resist their conviction and dealing probably with a community that perhaps wants things to be a bit more silenced because that's a cultural there's a cultural silence which is where a lot of perpetrators get get away with these kind of crimes.
00:12:04
Speaker
Talk us through what it takes for you to do this kind of story. Well, I think it takes determination. It takes courage and it takes focus and the desire to record results at the end of it all. I'm a journalist that feels that telling a story for the sake of the people hearing what is happening at that particular time is not just enough. I believe in solution seeking journalism.
00:12:28
Speaker
I believe in impact ah journalism. It's what gives me a sense of satisfaction. I'll tell you one story that touches my heart. There was a time I did a story about a child that was brought to our studios. This child had been sick and was admitted to one of our biggest hospitals. And the mother was told from the hospital that the only person that can seek help for you is Muapei.
00:12:54
Speaker
and just go to the studio. The child was removed from the ward, not discharged, but was taken out to have a story told by myself. So that in itself told me that there was a level of confidence that people had that if I told a story, something positive will come out of it.
00:13:12
Speaker
And that's what has always given me courage because after five years of doing that story, the child went to India and got the treatment and the mother called me to tell me that child you helped is now okay and now in school. And I told myself, this is a journalism I want and this is a journalism that I must encourage everyone else to pursue, you because you give the public confidence that it will not end up exposing or highlighting the problem. But a journalist will be part of the solution to the problem. And that's what keeps me going. It doesn't matter how long it takes. It will take five, ten years.
00:13:57
Speaker
But the results will still be achieved. And that's what gives me the courage that people will come out and say you have been part of the solution as a journalist and you have not just been telling the problem, but you have also been looking at ways to provide a solution to that particular problem.
00:14:15
Speaker
So um that in itself is what gives me satisfaction in my work, that my work is part of the solution to the challenges that women, girls and everyone else faces. I think that's what keeps me going. Yeah. I mean, let's take thisla stick with this particular story. Did you face resistance to telling this story? No, about this pasta. Well, the story about the the pasta sometimes, you know,
00:14:41
Speaker
pastors have their own following. I would receive quotes from maybe unknown persons, but later on I would begin to realize that these are probably the followers of this pastor, the people that go to their church and they believe that he's being fought by his other clergymen and they would want to block the story.
00:15:03
Speaker
And, you know, as a case of defilement, it's difficult to block it because there is always evidence. There is the medical examination that i has to take place. There's evidence, especially when a child is pregnant and all that. So it's quite difficult to deal with public figures, yeah clergymen, politicians in such cases, but where the truth is and where the truth is before you, you have all the records,
00:15:30
Speaker
It's much more easy for you to, you know, bring out a story when you have the facts with you. But take us back to that period and indeed other instances where you've had to come against public figures, as you said. Talk us through how you are feeling that time. Talk us through your processes of getting to kind of just continuing because there must be fear, there must be anxiety. What is going on with you during those periods?
00:15:55
Speaker
It's not an easy thing. It's not an easy process because when you have to deal with public figures, even your own friends, your own colleagues in the media institution will tend to sell you off to those people because they want, you know, certain favors. You know, you're dealing with people in privileged positions. The one thing that at times I begin to tell myself is that for this particular story, I'm offering a service.
00:16:21
Speaker
I'm offering a service to the people that are affected. I'm offering a service to my nation and I'm offering a service to the women, the girls who are affected. It's about my conscience. It's about me serving my conscience to say I'm doing the right thing or I'm doing a wrong thing. And for me doing the right thing is the most pleasing thing that gives me comfort and gives me a peace of mind. And so, regardless of the traits that could come through, regardless of source of intimidation that would come through, I would always stand by the truth because the truth has been unveiled to me and the people that have availed the truth to me have confidence that I'm going to do the right thing and I can't betray their confidence.
00:17:04
Speaker
And so that is what gives me strength, the confidence that the people have that I'll be able to tell a story in a truthful manner and in the most honest manner. And so all that is what really gives me so much confidence and keeps me going in my wake. And it doesn't matter how much intimidation or threats that may come through.
00:17:25
Speaker
But I always ah stand by the truth. And sometimes, especially when you're dealing with corruption cases, politicians will have their own following, they will have their own authority to come and you know challenge you. But I always tell them, I have these documents, I have these records.
00:17:41
Speaker
If you have anything else to say, you tell me, I'll report what you say. And the people need deserve to know and the people need to be told what the truth is. And as a leader, you are accountable to your people. You can come through to me in trying to negotiate favors with me.
00:18:00
Speaker
But it doesn't work out because you are not elected. but I'm not part of your electorate. I'm not the person that put you in that office. It's these people that want you to save them. So you must get back to the people and save them with dignity and with honesty. And so people have begun to accept who I am, that I'm a journalist that will be very honest and blunt with them. And they all know that if they have to deal with me, they have to deal with the truth. And that's all that stands and that's all that matters with Yeah, I mean, your journalists have been threatened. you know I remember in February 2013, you were threatened with criminal prosecution because you did an undercover story like exposed government sanction of the killing of 20 inmates at a security prison, right? You're credited for your reports and having an impact on national sexual assault policies as
Gender Equality Initiatives: The Kigali Declaration and Crown TV
00:18:51
Speaker
well, right? So I guess for anybody trying to really
00:18:54
Speaker
They say, shake the table, right? But they're really trying to shake the table and make change. There is sometimes some more personal sacrifices you've got to make. What are those personal sacrifices for you? Well, sometimes you have to make a personal sacrifice for your own joy because certain stories come with bribery offers, corruption and all that. And then you have to tell yourself, OK, yes, I need the money. Yes, I have a family of three children.
00:19:22
Speaker
I need the money, but I can't get it in this way. um Sometimes you have to lose friends because the people you are reporting about are connected to certain friends of yours. Sometimes maybe some relatives would be interested because maybe they've been approached and offered certain things and you would say, you know, I i can't go this route because I have to save public interest, I have to save the community, I have to, I can't betray my informers, I can't betray the communities that have trusted me with the information. Because of your feedback, friendship, some people cut off friendship,
00:20:02
Speaker
Some people cut off support and you basically remain with your sense of loyalty and dignity. ah For me, I have been through that path and it has not been an easy journey because some friends have had to fall off because they thought I couldn't you know stand with them. I couldn't agree with them on certain things.
00:20:25
Speaker
But that's that's been okay because at the end of it all, we've come back and agreed to say, I spoke the truth and I reported in the most professional manner that I was required to report.
00:20:41
Speaker
Hello immediate diary listeners. Now permit me to introduce you to the Kigali Declaration on the Illumination of Gender Violence in and through Media in Africa by 2034. And we here at I would call it the Kigali Declaration.
00:20:55
Speaker
It's a groundbreaking commitment by African women in media to bring gender equality representation and respect into every newsroom across the continent. By signing up, media organisations, professionals, platforms, regulators and academics are pledging to tackle gender barriers, amplify women's voices and create safer, more inclusive work environments for everyone.
00:21:18
Speaker
Imagine a media landscape that treats every story with balance and every voice with dignity. Adopting the Kigali Declaration isn't just a commitment, it's a powerful step forward towards social change and it starts with you and I. If you're ready to be part of this change, visit the official Kigali Declaration website at africamomaniamedia.com slash declaration to learn more and to sign up.
00:21:46
Speaker
And you're one of the signatories to the Kigali Declaration on the Illumination of Gender Violence in Earth for Media in Africa by 2034, which was a document that we adopted at the last African Women in Media conference in Kigali. What does that declaration mean to you, especially when you reflect on the kind of journalism that you do? Well, the Kigali Declaration is just another declaration that speaks to my passion. It speaks to my interest. It speaks to what I firmly desire for the women.
00:22:15
Speaker
for the girls to also have a sense of dignity in their places of work, in their communities, in every area that they walk and work through. It's a declaration that speaks to what I have always desired to achieve in life. And because I have been part of that declaration, I have shared it with my team at Crown TV, and we have made several changes. Currently we are operating at 50% women representation,
00:22:45
Speaker
in management position. I am the CEO of Crown Television and the human resource manager is a woman, the program manager is a woman, and we have three male managers, the operations manager who's a man,
00:22:59
Speaker
And the news editor, the news manager who's a man and the productions manager who is a man. So we are at 50% women and 50% male. And also we are currently working out a proper gender policy as an institution. We have only been three years in existence and are trying to create as much documentation as possible. So we're working around a gender policy.
00:23:25
Speaker
to govern us through in terms of how we address gender matters and how we give a platform that is conducive and healthy for both male and female. female We are sensitive to and not giving undue influence to women or men, but to try and strike a balance and create an environment that will be conducive for both men and women.
00:23:50
Speaker
and In our editorial department, since we have a manager at the top, we are already training two female journalists to rise to the position of sub-editors, working along with the male news manager. And so far we've identified potential in our two female journalists and we are able to see that they can still do it, they can still the do the editor's work. um My position as Managing Director of Crown Television has also created hope in the media landscape in Zambia, because currently we have more than 200 media institutions registered in Zambia, but we have less than five women at the top, you know, managing and having shares in media institutions. So my coming into
00:24:39
Speaker
the media space as a founder and managing director of current television has sort of given confidence and courage to our women to rise to their full potential and particularly in our programming we have a program called Valor Woman which is an inspirational program it is designed to inspire to motivate and encourage women because I feel like as a journalist I spoke more of the negative stories about women the deforming, the gender-based violence. But this time around, um I've told myself I need to speak good stories about women.
00:25:18
Speaker
The women that have been through gender-based violence and have overcome that phase and are doing so well, they are doing the advocacy, they are fighting the virus, are the people that we feature out on the program. The women that have gone through property grabbing because their parents died at the tender age and they didn't have the opportunity to get educated They rose through those evils and are able to, you know, so speak about, you know, the bad side of life, but also how they overcame that bad side of life. So we are doing more inspiration. We're doing more motivation. We're doing more encouragement as a TV station, because we know many women out there are going through a lot of you know issues, mental health problems.
Leadership in Media: Overcoming a Male-Dominated Industry
00:26:06
Speaker
you know, social and economic factors that are hindering their progress and prospects of becoming ah better in society. And so as a TV station, we are encouraging women and girls to rise to their full potential and just become who they want to be without having to think they need some men somewhere to pull them through.
00:26:28
Speaker
they need you know a certain favor in order for them to get to the top. But through their intellectual, through their abilities, through their skills, they are able to do many great things in society. So Crown Television has placed itself as a mouthpiece, not only for for the youths, but also particularly for the women and girls to you know bring out the best of themselves.
00:26:52
Speaker
yeah I mean, you you said a lot there around gender policy, around implementation, of because I think there's a difference between having a policy and another about implementation actually taking action, right? Because that's what we find is that actually there might be 10 media organisations that have gender policy, but one of them is the one that's actually implementing and doing it properly. But I also wanted to explore what you said around women in media leadership, because you are one of the very few.
00:27:21
Speaker
in media leadership in the country and possibly across many African countries as well. What was your journey in becoming managing director of Crown TV? Well, I think I was inspired and motivated by colleagues around me, looking at the work that I've done in the media for the last 15 years. I was actually taken to a discussion by one of my colleagues called Oswald Yamani, who is a co-founder of Crown Television. And he told me, Mapey, you know, you can you can manage to run a TV station. Do you know that?
00:27:50
Speaker
And I was like, ah, what do you mean? that You have we have all the experience. You have done almost every other story that anyone fears to do. You have managed.
00:28:02
Speaker
the newsroom before. And this time around, I don't want you to be in the field. I want you to be in the driving seat to manage the media institution. And I said, oh, okay, how can we do this? No, we started doing the paperwork with my colleague, also at Yemban. And here we are setting up Crown Television.
00:28:21
Speaker
and he says this time around you're going to be the managing director because there are few women in the media space that are managing a media institution and me as your friend I'm very confident that you can do it and my husband has always been is saying that you've done a lot of good stories around. You've won a lot of awards. You can do it. You can do it. He's always been positive about me managing a media institution. I never thought about it. Back then I was comfortable doing the stories i around reporting and getting some awards out of the ah stories. And then when these two men insisted and said, no, you can still do it. And I said, Oh yeah, actually,
00:29:03
Speaker
I can do it. Actually, I have been doing a lot of work around and that I have been you know unique in the way that I've been doing stories. I think I can still do it. Let me make a try. And here we are with Crown Television doing our best. What would you say has been the biggest challenge for you in doing that, running a TV station, and especially as a woman doing so. Well, um the biggest challenge I think has been on the the current media markets. It's a bit polarized, especially in in the Zambian setup or Africa setup. We have a lot of interference, external interference, particularly from politicians who want to have a new influence in the management of media institutions.
00:29:47
Speaker
for their political interests and we have also existing corporates that dictates the market in terms of how they sell out business to the media and um the old old media institutions that we found in existence dictating in terms of where business must go, which media institutions must be considered. And basically people not taking us seriously at at the start of business because they feel we're just trying it out. We are generally, we know the field work more than that we don't know the business itself. It's been a challenge for us settling down in terms of convincing our clients that we are
00:30:31
Speaker
here as a professional body and we have the capacity to provide good service. But additionally COVID also um took a toll of the business. Many businesses in Zambia have not yet healed from that in the elections that we had in 2021 also affecting our business. The power cuts, the increased power cuts that we are experiencing for the first time as a nation also affecting business. And basically the men ganging up to support themselves and not supporting us because of the woman behind the wheels, um men always supporting themselves. And I, having to struggle to you know fit into the male-dominated business, it's been a a bit of a challenge. But so far, we are being accepted in the market, and we got accredited with the Media Owners Association of Zambia. And now we're sitting as a members of that particular association,
00:31:28
Speaker
which now gives us an opportunity you know to market ourselves among men. yeah So when I met and I got into the media association media owners association, then I realized that we're only about three or four four women in the association. And I was like, ah we have a serious problem in the media. But it gives me confidence that i'm among the few women and that the association has reached out to us, meaning that they are counting us in the business.
00:31:58
Speaker
They are recognizing us in the business, which is good. And three years of being in existence, we are already added to all the media platforms in Zambia, particularly multi-choice, which runs DSP. We've been added there.
00:32:14
Speaker
And also on the main carrier for local channels, we are on that platform, which gives me so much you know confidence. It's not easy to be monitored only within a space of three years. And they make a decision to argue on their platforms. It means we are making an impact. It means we are doing well ah so far. From the ratings, we are among the four top most watched TV stations.
00:32:37
Speaker
And to say I am leading one of those, I'm the only female actually leading among the top most for locally, most watched TV stations, which gives me so much joy and so much pride. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, there's obviously a lot to take from that journey and a lot to be proud of as well, but nevertheless, there is a lack of gender representation. So when you look ahead, you know, into the future, and I've been to Lusaka, I've only he had the privilege of being there for very short period. It was for the African media convention in Lusaka a couple of years ago. Yeah. So I got to kind of see the environment and how it is. And, you know, we actually moderated a session around gender and representation in media, particularly when it comes to press freedom, right. And how the experience of women.
00:33:27
Speaker
especially when then links with press freedom can even be particularly more violent and dangerous for women. So when you look ahead into a future of Zambia in the next five, 10 years, what changes can you hope for? And I use those words very deliberately because we have to be realistic, but we also have to push, right? So you said that you're one of just four or five women, like are you guys binding together? And what can you hope for to see in the media in Zambia when it comes to gender representation and the coverage of issues affecting women. Well, I'm so hopeful and so confident that because I am part of those that are driving the seat in the media institution, many more women will come on board, many more women will aspire to take leadership positions. I i feel i'm
00:34:18
Speaker
too much of an inspiration for them because I have grown from being a field journalist to being now a manager and co-founder of a media institution. That in itself gives more motivation to my fellow female journalists, to my fellow young women. It gives so much hope that they can still do it. We can still do it.
00:34:39
Speaker
We can increase the numbers. I'll be glad in the next five years to see at least even 50 women owning up some media institutions or running media institutions as managers or CEOs of these media institutions because there's more opportunity that exists around the media space.
00:34:56
Speaker
because we have more female journalists actually, ah random statistics, you realize they're more young female, you know, journalists are covering, providing news coverage in these media institutions. But if you are rising to the positions of managers, ah which is the unfortunate thing, but because some of us have risen, I know many more are coming up because they're being smart, because they're being motivated by by some of us that have, you know, taken up the lead.
00:35:26
Speaker
And the more we talk about these things, the more women are getting the age to you know do something and really push themselves to to those positions. We have seen a significant can shift in the political field ah because in the last two elections, we've had two female vice presidents, which is a good indication that we can do it. We can increase the numbers.
00:35:53
Speaker
We have a couple of women ministers also in government and other paracetyl bodies leading in decision-making, which is also a good indication, like for particularly for the Zambian News and Information Service, which is a government institution. For the first time, we have a female DG, which is also a good thing, a good indication that we are making progress.
00:36:19
Speaker
it's not much but we are certainly making progress and little progress is better than nothing at all but we want to have much more ah progress made in terms of women representation in the media institution because above all we are the ones that are affected when there is a sexual harassment in the media it's the women that are affected because they have to look up to the men to you know, give them certain favors and because they risk competition in the newsroom because of the limited availability of of space for news. And so
Empowering Future Journalists: Advocacy and Responsibility
00:36:54
Speaker
women become vulnerable in these newsrooms because they want to position themselves, they want to be heard, they want their stories to air, they want, to you know, they to have some form of impact.
00:37:05
Speaker
seen in their work. So um when we have a woman editor in chief, there is no threat of sexual harassment, because yeah then it would feel protected. So yeah, we keep encouraging ourselves, we keep encouraging each other, you know, to rise to the position, we can only push ourselves to to the top that we deserve to be.
00:37:27
Speaker
And finally, for those young journalists and media professionals who are listening to this podcast, this episode right now, what advice would you give them about using their platforms to advocate for gender equality and social justice?
00:37:41
Speaker
Well, in our local language we say ich karipa chunfo meine, meaning that the one that feels the depth of the pain is the one that is affected. So if we are affected by the current environment we are working in, it takes us to speak out, it takes us to do the advocacy, it takes us to spread the word out there. It takes us to participate in every other activity, in every other workshop, conferences,
00:38:09
Speaker
that speak the language that we want to be heard out there. It takes us to spread out the news on TikTok, to spread out the news on Facebook, to spread out the news on our YouTube channels. It takes us. It is what we are feeding our platforms with that matters. And so if we feed our platform with information that talks about the issues to do with you know gender. So it takes us to be able to spread the news that we want to spread. It takes us to advocate for what we want to achieve at the end of it all. If we don't say it, who will say it? If we don't speak, who will speak? Because others have been silenced into death because of gender-based violence. And me, I have a voice, why don't I speak?
00:38:59
Speaker
There are others that have been left disabled because of gender-based violence. And there is me who is able to speak, why shouldn't I speak? I am speaking for the sake of myself as well, my safety, but also for the safety of my daughter who is 17 years and she must be protected. So if I don't say it, who will we say it? And if I don't advocate for things that will protect myself and my children,
00:39:29
Speaker
then who will do it? So we must be able to tell ourselves that. It takes I to make a difference. Not my neighbor, not my friend, but it takes myself to play a part and make a difference in society.
Closing Remarks and Call to Action
00:39:44
Speaker
Absolutely. Thank you so much. It's been such a pleasure speaking with you and where I pray today. and I've really enjoyed learning about you actually and really getting to know the kind of work you've been doing. So it's been such a pleasure having you on the podcast. Oh, thanks. I'm so grateful. I'm hoping I could make it to the next conference in Senegal. Yes. yes
00:40:12
Speaker
Wampay's story speaks to the need for women and media to rise to the top of their careers to ensure adequate representation and ultimately working towards that reduction of gender-based violence in and through media. Her story is a testament to the impact one individual can have in the fight for justice and equality. By sharing experiences and insights, she encourages young journalists to use their platforms to advocate for social justice and gender equality. Her message is clear. It takes determination, courage and a commitment to truth to make a difference.
00:40:46
Speaker
This episode is a must listen for anyone interested in the role of media in social change. The challenges faced by women in media and the power of storytelling to drive impact. Drop me an email at tmc at africanwomenimedia.com with your thoughts and do let me know if you'd like to join me on an episode of this podcast. so To find out more about African women in media and our work, visit our main website at africanwomenimedia.com.
00:41:11
Speaker
In the show notes, there's a list of organizations and resources to support you if you have experienced any of the topics discussed today. And don't forget to subscribe to Hermedia Diary on all your favorite podcast platforms. And also, if you're in Sierra Leone, you can tune in to the podcast on Rise Radio 96.3 FM every Saturday at 4 PM. And don't forget, join the conversation using the hashtag Hermedia Diary.
00:41:40
Speaker
Hemi-Dio Diary is a product of African women in media, an NGO advocating for gender equality in the media industry. And this episode was hosted by Dr. Yemisa Akimbobola, produced and edited by Blaise and Oduabasi as part of a four-episode series on the Kigali Declaration. All music featured in this podcast is by Nana Kwabena. Thanks for listening and join us again next time.