‘’We are glad that the radio programmes are helping us change things here in the village. Eventually women will participate fully, freedom will be exercised and that fear in women to take up challenges will be wiped out….. Participation and transparency should prevail starting from planning in homes to help empower and uplift our women…’’
These are the words of Joseph Mwanza, Chairman of Butondo Listener Club on the impact of working with Petauke Explorer Community Radio Station, one of the GTF grantees. The listener club is part of a coalition of partners that are participating in content generation on enhancing the role of women in governance processes. Through the GTF programme, the radio station is effectively facilitating effective coalitions and using evidence to build cases for advocacy within the communities, eventually stimulating change in certain practices and perceptions that deter women from actively participating in governance processes.
Petauke district has low participation of women in governance processes. According to the District Department of Community Development the gender inequality ratio of women to men in the district is at 95%: 5%.For example, out of all heads of government departments in the district, almost 97 percent are males. At village level, the level of women participation and involvement is also very low.
The inclusion of policy makers, traditional authorities and men and women in interactive radio programmes and community media discussion forums has contributed greatly to changing practices and perceptions associated with the role of women in decision making and governance processes, from village level to the district. For example, Headman Greenford Phiri, Chair of the Petauke district land alliance association has been very instrumental in raising the issues of women inclusion in decision making and land ownership for women. The listener clubs have enabled communities to express themselves resulting in discouraging some traditional practices that inhibit women participation in governance processes. For example, difficulties in women accessing land has been singled out as an obstacle to development and has been addressed to a large extent through the interventions.
Some traditional authorities have incorporated women indunas in their decision making structures to encourage them to participate in governance processes. This positive trend around strengthening the participation of excluded groups in decision making amplifies the aim of the GTF project and has raised the profile of the district in harnessing the participation of women in governance processes, from village level up to the district. These interventions are targeted to benefit at least 100,000 women over the life of the project.
