Journalists in Lango tasked to champion gender-inclusive reporting

26 May 2025, 12:54 pm

By Byamukama Alozious

During a gender sensitive training by the Uganda Media Women’s Association (UMWA) in Lira city, journalists were asked to promote gender-responsive reporting and amplify underrepresented voices, particularly women and marginalised groups.

The training is part of the M-Space Project, coordinated by Connie Osuru, in partnership with the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME), the Editors’ Guild, and the Uganda Radio Network, with funding support from the Royal Danish Embassy, Embassy of Sweden, Embassy of Ireland, and the Embassy of the Netherlands.

According to Margaret Ssentamu, veteran journalist and Executive Director of UMWA, the media is now dominated by young people who must use their platforms responsibly. “If you are holding the mic or conducting interviews, you are the media. Your reporting must be inclusive and deliberate,” she said. UMWA’s recent report under the Global Media Monitoring Project shows that women’s representation in Ugandan media is only 23%, signaling a major gap in gender equity.

Becky Birungi, a trainer and UMWA member, urged journalists to broaden their focus beyond elites and prioritise the stories of everyday people—especially women in rural and underserved communities.

Clothilda Babirekere, UMWA’s Gender Officer, noted that persistent bias in reporting deepens marginalisation. She stressed the need for journalists to avoid reinforcing harmful cultural stereotypes that silence or downplay women’s voices.

Project Coordinator Connie Osuru challenged media professionals to drop excuses like “women are shy” or “too slow,” which she said contribute to the continued underrepresentation of women in media. “We need patient and deliberate journalism that reflects the diversity of our communities,” she said.

As part of the training, journalists analysed past editions of New Vision, Daily Monitor, and Bukedde, observing how women are often left out of coverage or portrayed narrowly. These findings aligned with UMWA’s national observation that women are underrepresented in mainstream media content.

Under the M-Space Project, UMWA has so far trained over 60 women politicians and 40 journalists in West Nile, Lango, and Karamoja to build their capacity in inclusive communication and reporting.

Participants were also urged to uphold ethical standards, avoid bribery, and respect privacy in their reporting. Key community issues highlighted included gender-based violence, poor health services, land conflicts, inadequate road infrastructure, and high dropout rates among girls.