Program Overview
TAMWA Zanzibar seeks to strengthen media and stakeholders’ engagement in addressing gender rights issues. The program focuses on improving media coverage and responses to gender-based concerns, enhancing the role of journalists in advocating for women’s rights, and ensuring freedom of expression in gender-related discourse. It also includes a critical analysis of laws and policies that infringe on freedom of expression in Zanzibar and advocates for necessary legal reforms to uphold these rights.
Objective
The objective is to improve the capacity of media professionals and stakeholders to address gender-related concerns effectively while ensuring that legal frameworks protect freedom of expression and promote gender rights advocacy.
Context:
Despite significant progress in media engagement on gender issues, challenges persist, including biased reporting, limited investigative journalism on gender-based violence (GBV) cases, and restrictive laws that hinder free expression. Additionally, journalists and media houses often face legal and political obstacles when covering gender-related issues, limiting their ability to advocate for women’s rights effectively.
Approaches & Strategies
• Media Capacity Building: Training journalists on gender-sensitive reporting and investigative journalism related to GBV, women’s leadership, and legal rights.
• Legal Analysis and Advocacy: Identifying and analyzing laws that infringe on freedom of expression and advocating for the review of restrictive policies.
• Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating with media houses, CSOs, and government institutions to strengthen advocacy efforts and ensure gender-responsive media coverage. By enhancing the role of the media and advocating for legal reforms, the program aims to foster a more informed and active society that upholds gender rights and freedom of expression.
