Media Coverage of Gender based violence in Malawi. A case study of the Nation newspaper

Dedication

I dedicate this work to my dearest, the late grandmother Mrs Sinoria Kankhono for nurturing me to persevere and always view things in a positive way in life. And to my late parents Andrew and Edna Kankhono (who passed when I was just a toddler) for giving birth to me, I am a big man now!

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements are due those who through their generous contribution made it possible for me to succeed in my studies. I am grateful to Fr McDonald Kankhono, Mrs Chimwemwe Chinyamu, my brothers Mphatso Kankhono and George Nsapato, my sisters Jacqueline and Christina Kankhono, My uncles and aunties, , Yohane Kankhono, Douglas Kankhono, Patrick Kankhono, Mr Charles Malonda,, Mrs Mercy Kanzengo and Selina Kankhono. They hence paid equal contribution throughout my academic journey for which I always feel profound gratitude in my heart.

Similar, profound gratitude goes to my friends and Classmates, Jophan Matewere, Chinsisi Makalani, Osman Moyo, Florida Chona, Mtisunge Chiunjidza, Frank Biziwick, Franklin Kadewere and to all 2020 BAJ finales; I owe all of you a great part of my achievements.

Special mention goes to my enthusiastic supervisor, Mr Eland Manjawira. My bachelor’s degree research has been an amazing experience and I thank Mr E Manjawira wholeheartedly, not only for his tremendous academic support, but also for giving me so many wonderful opportunities.

List of abbreviations

GBV Gender based violence

IHRC International Human Rights Conventions

ILO International Labour Organization

UN United Nations

WHO World Health Organisation

NSO National Statistical Office

MDHS Demographic and Health Survey

DEVAW Elimination of Violence Against Women

GA General Assembly

NGOs Non-Governmental Organizations

Abstract

This study analyses how the print media covers gender based violence. The print media has the advantage of making a longer impact on the minds of the reader with more in-depth reporting and analysis of issues including those to do with gender based violence. Using copies of The Nation Newspaper for the period of three months the study analysed how the stories in the newspaper covered gender based violence. The study findings showed that there is low coverage on GBV in The Nation newspaper and that the priority is not given to the GBV articles as there is small space given to the articles. It was also found that GBV articles are not prioritised in terms of placement and that sexual violence is a common type of GBV in the articles. Following the findings, the study therefore recommend that more space should be given to GBV stories and prioritising them by giving enough space to the stories and placing some of the stories on front pages. This will help to stop the malpractice and stops the negative effects that come with it.

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.0 Introduction

This study aimed at assessing The Nations Newspaper of coverage of gender based violence stories in Malawi. This introduction highlights the background of the study in question, problem statement, objectives and structure of dissertation.

1.1 Gender Based Violence- Overview

Gender based violence (GBV) is defined as any harm or suffering that is perpetrated against a woman or girl, man or boy and that has a negative impact on the physical, sexual or psychological health, development or identity of the person (Sida, 2015). The root cause of GBV is gender based power inequalities and gender based discrimination. GBV occurs across all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, and in many societies, including Malawi. Women are socialized to accept, tolerate, and even rationalize domestic violence and to remain silent about such experiences.

Current estimates of gender based violence indicate that between 80% of women worldwide have been physically and sexually assaulted by a male partner at least once in their lives (Oladepo & Arulogun, 2011). GBV happens at home, at workplace or any other place where there is interaction of the people. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO 2011), high-risk groups comprise workers in formal and informal economies and include office and factory workers, day labourers, dependent family workers and Women farmers.

Gender based violence is a violation of universal human rights protected by International Human Rights Conventions (IHRC) (Inter-Agency Standing Committee, 2012), including the right to security of person, the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, the right to freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, and the right to life.

While every person can become victim of violence on the basis of their gender, women are the primary targets of gender-based violence, alongside other marginalized genders. According to the World Health Organization global review, 35% of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence. However, some national violence studies show that up to 70% of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner (WHO, 2013).

1.3. Gender Based Violence in Malawi

United Nations (2013)annual report shows that Africa is leading in registering GBV cases. Just like many other African nations, Malawi has been among the nations registering many GBV cases. In December 2018, the Malawi Police Service indicated that its victim support units had registered over 26,000 cases of GBV in 2018 alone (Mpina, 2019). The 2010 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) found that more than one-quarter (25.3%) of female respondents reported having ever experienced sexual violence (NSO & ICF, 2011). This sexual violence is the result of inequalities among men and women. To bring law into compliance with constitutional standards, the Malawi Law Commission, an independent legal institution established in 1998, has been in the process of revising national gender- related laws since 2001.

The republic of Malawi in its national gender policy handbook (2015, p. 4) has adopted the definition of gender based violence from United Nations (UN) Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women (DEVAW) adopted by the General Assembly (GA) in 1993.The definition states that gender based violence is any act perpetrated by a person against another that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life. Istanbul convention of the council of Europe (Treaty, 2011), categorises gender based violence into physical, sexual, psychological and economical violence.

1.4 Forms of Gender Based Violence

Physical violence is a pattern of physical assaults and threats used to control another person. It includes punching, hitting, choking, biting, and throwing objects at a person, kicking, pushing and using a weapon such as a gun or a knife. Psychological violence includes the abuse to do with deprivation of liberty, forced marriage, sexual harassment and any other sexual act done without consent. Sexual violence involves all the sexual related abuses including rape, defilement and sexual harassment. Economical violence refers to any act or behaviour which causes economic harm to an individual. Economical violence can take the form of, for example, property damage, restricting access to financial resources, education or the labour market, or not complying with economic responsibilities, such as alimony.

GBV causes psychological trauma such as fear, anxiety, self-blame, depression and suicidal thoughts. GBV in which physical violence is involved can also lead to injury, loss of body parts and even deaths. Gender-based violence is a public health challenge, and a barrier to civic, social, political, and economic participation (Ojamuge, 2019). It undermines not only the safety, dignity, overall health status, and human rights of the millions of individuals who experience it, but also the public health, economic stability, and security of nations.

Malawi has domesticated the international instruments to promote gender equality as a way of combating gender based violence through the enactment of gender related laws like the Prevention of Domestic Violence law of 2006, the Child Justice and Protection Act of 2010, and the Deceased Estates (Wills, Inheritance and Protection) Act of 2011. The adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals includes a specific target to eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres (Klugman, 2017).

1.5 Problem Statement

According to Trevor Davies (2017), the media plays a vital role in raising awareness on GBV. The media’s core theme should then be about speaking out, education on GBV issues and leading dialogues on coming up with solutions and ideas for prevention and care.

Issue of gender-based violence is covered by the media on a daily basis, which is a positive indicator that there is recognition of the problem (IFJ, 2017).However, in Malawi the print media coverage on GBV has not been proactive as expected as reporters rely on police sources.

The print media in Malawi therefore must give full attention to GBV stories through thorough coverage to raise awareness of the negative effects of GBV. This will help to stop the malpractice and stops the negative effects that come with it.

This study therefore seeks to assess the media coverage of gender based violence in Malawi.

1.6 Study and objectives

The main of the study is assessing the print media coverage of gender based violence in Malawi by the Nation Newspaper.

1.6.1 Specific Objectives

Specific objectives of the study are:

i. To identity forms of violence in reference to gender based violence
ii. To find out the Types of reportage by the print media on gender based violence.
iii. To explore the space allocated to gender based violence stories.

1.7 Hypothesis

The assumption is that the Nation Newspaper does not adequately cover gender based violence stories. The study seeks to prove or disapprove this thesis.

1.8 Rationale

Venti Sale (2017), notes that the media is important because it is the media that brings people the information they may need, want or be interested in. Therefore, it is the media that has the capacity to raise awareness on the issues to do with GBV. The findings of this study will therefore help the policy makers, the media houses and the academia. Karicho Caroline Nyambura (2014) also acknowledges that Print media plays a very important tool in fighting gender-based violence because it not only reports on society but also helps in shaping the public opinion and perception. The media calls attention to social problem and issues and thereby hold leaders and even members of the society accountable. The new knowledge that will be generated from this study will help policy makers like the Ministry of Gender, Children Disability and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Justice and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the fight against GBV.

The findings from this study will help media houses in Malawi in the way they can cover gender based violence stories. This will help in eradicating GBV cases in Malawi.

The knowledge to be generated from this study will be used in further media related studies on gender based violence.

1.9 Dissertation structure

This paper has been structured into six chapters. The first chapter is on introduction and background and introduces the topic of the study by defining it, discussing the GBV both on national and international sphere. The second chapter reviews the literature of GBV studies which have been done by other researchers and scholars. The available literature is used to identify the gap on media coverage of GBV in Malawi. Theoretical framework is the third chapter of which this study centers on. Agenda setting and priming theories are used in this study to put the topic of the study under discourse. Chapter four is on methodology of the study. The chapter focuses on how the data of the study was collected so that the empirical conclusion on the topic is reached. Chapter five is on findings and discussions of the findings. The data that was collected is analysed and presented through charts and bar graphs and then the results are interpreted. Chapter six is on the conclusion. And has recommendations based on the findings and areas of possible further study

1.10 Conclusion

This chapter provided the introduction to the study, problem statement, study aim, objectives and rationale or justification.

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Introduction

This chapter looks at what scholars have written on media coverage of gender based violence. 2.1 Literature review

A lot of scholarly works are available on how the media cover gender based violence. A study by Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (2012) on Victoria print coverage of gender based violence found that the coverage of violence tends to primarily report individual incidents of violence, with little information about the social context of the problem. The study recommended that the journalists should do enough research and should be innovative in their coverage of GBV stories.

Another study by Karicho Caroline Nyambura (2014) on print media coverage of GBV found that the majority of the victims that were covered were children and closely followed by female. On the other hand, the study found out that male victims were the minority. The study also found out that there were few female reporters who take up reporting on GBV issues in Kenya.

Gender Links (2015) conducted a study on Gender and Media Progress Study (GMPS). The study found that media coverage of gender based violence in Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) countries has declined from 4% in the year 2010 to 1% in 2019 as reported in SADC countries.

Deb and Charak (2015) did a research of media coverage of gender based violence in Chakma refugees camp. The study deployed a content analysis of newspaper reports on Chakma migration and the selection was on non-probability sampling purposive sampling. The study attempted to draw conclusion on media coverage of gender based violence. The study discovered that there was a decrease in media coverage of gender based violence as compare to the previous year with from 60% to 47%.

Contemporary research has revealed a complex interaction of contributing factors to violence against women. One of the most influential determinants of gender-based violence against women is the unequal distribution of resources and power between women and men in society. Individuals and communities holding these attitudes tend to consider men as superior to women and that the role of men in the family and in the community is to have the power to make decisions about their livelihoods and the ways in which the family functions. Men typically have economic and social power and resources as they have the freedom to engage in employment and education and participate in the community. Women on the other hand are expected to be amenable and to follow the expectations of males in their family and/or community. Access to education, health care, income and political representation are often curtailed for women in these circumstances (World Health Organisation, 2010).

Gender-based violence, especially rape and intimate partner violence, is a huge problem in Liberia. During the study, in the first seven months of 2011, 1325 cases of gender based violence were reported to the Ministry of Gender and Development; rape related incidents represents 68% of all reported cases. In the past four years, an average 55% of survivors who reported rape were less than 15 years.

2.2 Conclusion

This chapter reviewed the available literature of media coverage of gender based violence. It has helped to identify the available gaps which is the focus of the study.

CHAPTER THREE: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

3.0 Introduction

This chapter explains the theories used in the study. It also explains how the theories apply to the study.

3.1 Media theories

The study was supported by two theories; agenda setting and priming theories.

3.1.1 The agenda setting theory of media

The agenda setting theory describes the "ability (of the news media) to influence the importance placed on the topics of the public agenda. Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw developed the principle of agenda setting. The theory states that the media influence the interpretation of the facts and issues found in the news that concern the public mind.

Agenda setting is also defined as the process (or processes) by which an issue is brought to the attention of policy-makers (Rogers EM, 1993).The theory was coined as an explanation on how the mass media affects to change the pattern in political behaviour during elections (Cohen B. , 1963). Subsequently, the theory has inspired and developed hundreds of latter explorations on how the mass media primes and frames issues for their audiences including how media portray gender based violence. The mass media can be considered as responsible in influencing and shaping the public opinion and agenda. Such influence of mass media on the public agenda or opinion can happen intentionally or unintentionally (Iyengar & Kinder, 1987).

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