Uganda Communications Commission -UCC should take interest in how the various TV and radio stations and other content service providers portray and cover gender.
Fojo Media Institute of Linnaeus University in Sweden released a report in March titled “Gender equality and media regulation”. In this report, the institute defines gender as socially constructed, pertaining to the roles, expectations, behaviour associated with a girl, women, boy, man, trans and other identities and that gender varies across cultures and contexts. Gender as a result can change overtime as societies evolve.
The report notes that in 1995, 189 members of the United Nations including Uganda adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action for the Advancement of women. They agreed to among others use the media to advance women’s rights and gender equality by urging governments and other actors to increase the participation of women and access of women to expression and decision making in and through the media and new technologies of communication, to promote a balanced and non-stereotyped portrayal of women in media.
In the report, Fojo Media Institute noted that freedom of expression is closely linked to gender equality, that is when people including minorities such as women, children and person’s with disabilities are able to speak freely in society, that society is more likely to have media that seek their views on various issues. It includes in-depth studies of legislation and policies regarding gender equality in freedom of expression in five countries, that is Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Armenia, Somalia and Bangladesh.
The Institute observes that there are threats and gains concerning free speech and gender equality…media regulation may hinder or expand gender equality in society. It asks in the executive summary of the report “Is it possible to regulate so that more voices are heard and for more people, men and women to take part in public debate? How many societies expand freedom of expression without the cost of silencing voices?”
As a result, the institute is advancing self-regulation by media institutions and co-regulation that is government and media institutions agreeing on how to achieve freedom of expression and gender equality.
This is where Uganda Communications Commission-UCC comes in. The regulator needs to use its Content Committee, established under Section 14 of the UCC Act, 2013 to enforce fair gender representation and gender sensitive content.
Afterall, the Uganda Communications (Content) Regulations, 2019 provide for the functions of the UCC content committee. The regulations apply to all content in telecommunications, data, radio, television and content providers.
The content committee is among others tasked with overseeing and advising the UCC Board on all content matters, content regulation including offences, accuracy, impartiality, fairness, privacy and complaints from other government bodies, to protect and promote the interests of viewers and listeners, enforce the broadcasting code as minimum broadcasting minimum standards and develop regulations for content in light of changes to technology and consumer behaviour.
However, having watched discussions, talk shows and news bulletins on NTV Uganda and NBS TV from 10-14th October, the UCC content committee needs to engage media houses on the need for fair representation of gender.
For instance, on October 12, during the NBS TV 7pm news bulletin, a reporter Fatiah Nassali interviewed only men on whether Entebbe should be made the capital city of Uganda just like it was during colonial rule. This was in light of Uganda marking 60 years of its independence.
Also on NBS TV’s media round table aired on Friday morning of October 14, Mildred Tuhaise hosted only male panelists who included Soroti West MP and journalist Jonathan Ebwalu, Baker Batte, Joel Mukisa and Anderson Kenneth Lukwago.
On NBS TV’s Frontline that aired on October 13, Charles Mwanguhya hosted only one woman, that is Kassanda Woman MP Flavia Kalule and four men -Minister of state for General Duties Henry Musasizi, Executive Director of Uganda Media Centre Ofwono Opondo, Kira Municipality MP and spokesperson of the Forum for Democratic Change Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda and The CEO of the Independent Andrew Mwenda to discuss among others the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act, 2022 and economic situation of Uganda.
Unfair representation of females was also observed in the sports shows, for instance the lunch time sports panels are made up of only men on NTV, and NBS TV, regardless of games played by females such as netball.
The UCC content committee needs to find out why females are hardly hosted. Is it about the topics or time? Can media houses adjust the time to suit females or how can their views be included in the discussions apart from them calling in or sending comments?
I’ll give the example of NTV Uganda’s sports show Sport Knights that aired on Monday October 10. The show host Ismail Dhakaba Kigongo apologized to Martha Babirye for keeping her awake so that she would respond to his and panelist Andrew Mwanguhya’s questions. Babirye won the 2022 Tusker Malt Lager Uganda Ladies Golf Open Championship on October 8. Kigongo noted that Babirye usually sleeps before 8 pm.
How many women can stay up late, let alone appear on a talkshow that ends past midnight? Is it a deliberate move to give only men platforms to talk or adjustments can be made?
UCC needs to spearhead this conversation. Otherwise, views of women, persons with disabilities among others are not being heard.
It’s indeed time to have a fair sociers and media is a driver