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Media and aid campaigns

Keeping an eye on the campaign: monitoring media coverage of the 16 days of activism: no violence against women and children campaign

Promoting positive coverage of gender-based violence in South African media

Authors: G. Harris; W. Bird
Publisher: Media Monitoring Project, South Africa, 2005

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This report is an analysis of media coverage of the 2004 "16 days of Activism: No Violence Against Women" campaign in South Africa. The study also compares media coverage of gender-based violence and woman and child abuse over the last seven years. The authors also present MMP’s strategies for the campaign including their process for selecting companies as partners. At the end of the report, the authors attach a brief guide to the "16 Days" campaign

The report lists the following as key findings from their monitoring and analysis:

  • unprecedented high number of female sources: 46% women: 54% men
  • dramatic increase in number of gender-based violence, woman and child abuse stories than in previous MMP research in 1998
  • 55% of all stories were told by female journalists
  • 20% of all topics were about child abuse
  • 6% of topics focused on positive advocacy efforts
  • the overwhelming majority of violence against women items (35%) focused on sexual assault, femicide, domestic violence, murder, sexual harassment, and gender-based violence
  • a number of media outdid themselves in their support of the campaign, while others appeared to ignore it completely
  • greater diversity of roles for women
  • clear effort by the media to include men in the campaign
  • positive partnerships between media, government and civil society made the campaign a success.

The authors note the following as areas that the media could improve on in their future coverage of the campaign:

  • identification of "survivors" of abuse, rather than "victims" of abuse
  • survivors telling their own stories
  • continued increase in the number of women’s voices accessed in the media
  • meaningful participation of children in the campaign; hearing their ideas and incorporating their views
  • encouraging financial and practical support of the campaign from corporations
  • diversity in coverage of the different types of abuse, not only the most extreme forms
  • continuous and regular coverage of gender-based violence and woman and child abuse throughout the year
  • greater awareness of the various campaign-related initiatives
  • telling stories from women all over South Africa
  • continued development and expansion of positive partnerships between government, media, and civil society.