GBV makes just 1 cent of news stories

Participants at the Kigali Women in Media Conference where a declaration on GBV in the media was made. [Courtesy]

An action plan that sets minimum standards for all stakeholders that impacts how media functions concerning women and Gender Based Violence (GBV) is discussed in media has been set through a declaration in Kigali, Rwanda.

The statement, the Kigali Declaration on the Elimination of Gender Violence in and through Media, birthed the action plan on the way forward on GBV in media spaces at the end of a three-day conference organised by the African Women in Media (AWiM23) on November 30 to December 1, 2023.

The Declaration which addresses both representations of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in news media content and news media organisations, acknowledges the media's power to inform and influence the public's understanding of GBV.

The Kigali Declaration sets out minimum measures to be adopted by different groups of stakeholders in the media sector.

The Declaration also asserts that African media have the power to shape narratives and inform public knowledge on all forms of GBV. It too recognises the urgent need for principles to guide news and information media in their coverage of GBV and adequately address any such experiences by staff in the line of duty.

Before the AWiM23 conference, representatives from the media sector, academia, and civil society prepared a draft declaration.

Subsequently, following intense deliberation and revisions to the draft, conference participants unanimously agreed on the principles of the Kigali Declaration on the Elimination of Gender Violence in and through Media.