UMWA trains West Nile journalists on gender-responsive election reporting

30 July 2025, 10:09 am

By Byamukama Alozious

As Uganda’s political season gains momentum, the Uganda Media Women’s Association (UMWA) is enhancing media capacity in the West Nile region to ensure gender-sensitive and inclusive election reporting.

More than 20 participants—including reporters, media managers, and radio presenters from outlets such as Voice of Life, Pacis FM, Arua One, Access FM, and Post News—underwent intensive training focused on gender-responsive journalism. The sessions aimed to improve coverage of women candidates and marginalised groups such as refugees and persons with disabilities (PWDs), while also raising awareness about the media’s role in reporting gender-based violence (GBV) during elections.

One journalist cited challenges encountered during the recent National Resistance Movement (NRM) internal elections, which were marked by chaotic reporting and discriminatory language. A male candidate reportedly misinterpreted the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA)—which prohibits same-sex relations—by falsely claiming that if a woman contests the District Woman MP seat, then other seats should be reserved for men to avoid “woman-to-woman leadership”, alleging it would breach the law. This narrative reflects the broader challenges women face, where cultural misconceptions and legal misrepresentations are used to undermine their political participation.

Connie Osoru, Project Coordinator for UMWA’s M-SPACE Project, emphasised the importance of the initiative:

“We are developing a gender-sensitive scorecard to guide media houses in delivering fair and inclusive reporting. Since 2024, our assessments in Moroto have revealed critical knowledge gaps, prompting us to create this comprehensive tool to equip journalists with the necessary skills for gender-responsive coverage.”

The broader aim of the M-SPACE Project is to support media houses in establishing and implementing standards for gender inclusion, with a particular focus on marginalised groups such as refugees, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and women. UMWA believes that promoting gender-responsive reporting policies within media institutions will help counter longstanding cultural narratives that elevate male voices while sidelining women and minority groups.

UMWA has also facilitated dialogues between women leaders and media practitioners in Moroto, Lira, and Arua, and is set to monitor selected media outlets to assess how women’s voices and gender-based violence (GBV) issues are represented in the media.

Margaret Ssentamu, Executive Director of UMWA, underscored the urgency of inclusive reporting, stating:

“Women constitute 51% of Uganda’s population and must be meaningfully included in media narratives and leadership roles. However, women candidates often face biased reporting, including intrusive questions about their marital status—scrutiny rarely applied to male politicians. This unfair treatment not only marginalises women but can also fuel gender-based violence, especially during politically sensitive periods.”

She added, “The media plays a pivotal role as the fourth estate and an agenda setter. The words and images we choose can either promote peace and inclusion or contribute to violence and division. It is our responsibility to use this power to foster understanding and protect vulnerable groups.”

Participants also discussed how cultural and tribal tensions are often exacerbated by insensitive media coverage, which can intensify election-related violence affecting women, men, and children alike.

The training further highlighted regional disparities in media recognition, with many noting that journalism awards are largely Kampala-centric, often excluding deserving journalists from regions such as West Nile. In response, UMWA announced plans to launch a Gender Media Award to celebrate excellence in gender-responsive journalism across Uganda.

This initiative forms part of the wider M-SPACE Project, implemented in partnership with the Uganda Editors’ Guild, African Centre for Media Excellence, Uganda Radio Network, Embassy of Iceland in Kampala, Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP), and the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC), with funding support from the Royal Danish Embassy.