Transcript SRHR Project, Media and Parliaments

SRHR Advocacy through Media
and Parliaments
in the SRHR and HIV
Project
MOSES MAGADZA
[email protected]
Why work with media in SRHR advocacy?
 The media is by far the loudest discourse in the world
 Used manage and maintain reputation of an individual, organisations,
programmes or services, manage crises
 To communicate with publics/stakeholders
 To create awareness (WORK THAT IS BEING DONE, CHALLENGES THAT ARE
BEING FACED, ETC.)
 To achieve visibility and stay ahead of the pack
 To avoid high costs of advertising
Current status of SRHR coverage in the media
• The media are not interested in or motivated to cover SRHR research.
• Therefore, a key strategy for improving coverage of SRHR issues in
the media involves sparking motivation and interest in these issues
• SRHR programme is generating interest among journalists in covering
SRHR issues to report in simple but interesting and accessible ways.
• Through joint training and provision of news tips to the media, we
hope to build and sustain trust and collaboration of all stakeholders.
Why multimedia strategy in SRHR advocacy?
• From traditional media (newspapers, magazines, television,
radio) to a great variety of channels/formats.
> From passive consumers to active users (text, photo, video).
> As a result: The dramatic fight for attention.
• Yesterday
• Mass audience
Information with costs
One way channel
Journalism/PR: strict separation
Today
Specific communities
Information for ‘free’
Interactivity options
soft borders
Why multimedia strategy cont.?
 Penetration of media in rural areas, where lived experience should be
covered is often scanty;
 There is need to evaluate if MP’s and CSO are engaging on SRHR issues at
constituency level following exposure;
 Measure allocation of airtime and space for SRHR and HIV developmental
issues across political parties and constituents in parliament and various
media;
 Ensuring that ordinary citizens are given adequate information to
empower them to make informed choices in SRHR and HIV;
 Feasibility of Watchdog role by media as a benchmark for the project;
 Networking and building solidarities;
MULTI MEDIA INNOVATIONS FOR THE SRHR
PROJECT IN LINE WITH INDICATORS SET
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Media Award launch;
Newsletter and bulletin; [email protected]
SADC PF website;
Commission journalists to write Newspaper features;
Investigative articles;
Radio;
SADC PF Plenary ( Motions and deliberations)
The SRHR and HIV Project will be providing parliamentarians and
the media with a ‘problem’, the ‘evidence’ and opportunities for
action;
Indicators and outcomes of the SRHR and
Media interventions
Does SRHR and HIV feature in the analysis of Parliamentary debates,
questions, and resolutions?
• Are Parliamentarians opening up to the media and CSOs?
• Does Cabinet respond to evidence and suggestions by Parliament and
CSOs?
• Does it become “normal” for women to champion issues of SRHR and
be in positions of power ?
• Does the media begin to champion SRHR and HIV progressive
interventions backed by evidence instead of reinforcing stigma,
discrimination, and violation of rights, vise versa?
Indicators and outcomes of SRHR and Media
interventions cont.
• More media reports on how , where and how often stakeholders that
include RWPCs, MPs and CSOs lobby and advocate for integrated
SRHR( GRANTING INTERVIEWS TO THE MEDIA, MOVING MOTIONS,
DEMANDING ANSWERS ON ISSUES RELATED TO SRHR SERVICES,
POLICIES ETC)
• Articles on how Parliaments are collaborating with boundary partners
to advocate for equitable SRHR services
• How Parliamentary committees are working with national working
groups on SRHR issues
SADC PF SRHR MEDIA AWARDS
• RATIONALE: RECOGNIZE AND REWARD CONSITENT REPORTING OF SRHR
ISSUES BY JOURNALISTS
• FOUR CATRGORIES: two ‘Top SRHR reporting awards’ of USD1000 each for
print and radio categories.
• ‘Best Television SRHR Reporting Award’ of USD 2000 which will be shared
between the winning television reporter and a camera person to reward
teamwork.
• PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD USD 500 - recognise the most popular news
story or feature on our website thereby giving journalists whose articles
are posted there more visibility
How to pitch for commissioned articles
ISSUE
A prescription drug used to treat malaria has become one of the
ingredients of cheap, commonly used beverages in some countries in
southern Africa, stoking fears in a region already fretting over drug
resistant malaria. Quinine, which is considered among the heavy
artillery in the arsenal against malaria in some malaria-prone countries,
is apparently one of the ingredients of Dry Lemon and Tonic Water,
which are non-alcoholic beverages that are easily available in Namibia,
Botswana, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and other countries.
Pitching more..
WIDER SIGNIFICANCE
Malaria is endemic in parts of southern Africa and other regions of
the world. It remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in many
countries. It has become resistant to chloroquine – for many years
among the cheapest and most effective malaria treatments. With quinine
now available in beverages that can be bought and consumed even by
children with relative ease, experts worry that this promiscuous use
of the drug in small doses can lead to or induce resistance in the malaria
parasite.
Pitching more…
SOURCES
1. Professor Peter Nyarango, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health
Sciences and Founding Dean of the School of Medicine at the University of
Namibia on malaria in Namibia, history of quinine use in the region and
whether this casual use of the drug is a big issue and what the School of
Medicine will respond to it.
2.A Namibian living in Windhoek but is from Zambezi Region where malaria
is endemic. She has been routinely taking Tonic Water and Dry Lemon since
1996 because she knows that they contain quinine and believes it protects
her from malaria.
3. Dr Davies Mumbengegwi, a pharmaceutical scientist on the
implications of this phenomenon.
Pitching last
EXPECTED DATE OF DELIVERY AND PHOTOGRAPHS
PARLIAMENTARY ETHICS, TRANSPARENCY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY
CONCLUSIONS/OBSERVATIONS
• Parliaments, in general, are little understood by the
people whom they represent. Other than the passage of
laws, there is little understanding about what else
parliaments achieve, their structures and processes, and
the fundamental basics they provide in the stability of
democracy.
• Parliament as an institution is often overlooked because
of the behaviour of parliamentarians. The ethical
standards by which parliamentarians operate are critical
to the strengthening of good governance and public
confidence in the integrity of the democratic system, but
equally, they are not just about protecting the individual
member or reputation of a single government in isolation
of the rest of the parliamentary system.
The end
THANK YOU