Gender in Media Education: An Audit of Gender in Journalism and Media Education and Training

This 112-page report, published by Gender Links, presents an audit on the gender dimensions of journalism and media education and training in tertiary institutions in Southern Africa. Covering 25 institutions in 13 countries, the study took place from October 2009 to April 2010. The audit took place within the context of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Gender and Development, which includes 28 targets to be achieved by 2015. Overall, the audit found that there are very few institutions with policies or other special measures to achieve gender equality.

The study was designed to: establish whether or not gender is integrated in media education and training; identify gaps in current media/journalism education and training with regard to gender mainstreaming in the curriculum; determine whether or not Gender Links as well as other gender and media texts and resources are being used in media education and training; and use the findings to develop strategic interventions to ensure sustained gender mainstreaming in media education and training. Researchers conducted interviews with 321 staff and students,
of whom 53% were female and 47% were male respondents. Women comprised 34 of the 67 staff interviewed and 136 of the 254 students interviewed. The study covered six key areas: institutional policy framework; curriculum development and course content; teaching and learning; prescribed texts, readings, and learning materials; assessments; and research and publications.

According to the report, seven of the 25 institutions involved in the audit have stand-alone gender policies, although some have draft policies that have not been formally adopted or use affirmative action policies as guidelines for achieving gender diversity and other forms of diversity. Almost half the institutions have sexual harassment policies.

The findings show that males comprise the majority of academic staff (62%), but females are the majority of students (61%). However, in most institutions, the number of female students enrolled begins to decline at the Master's and Doctorate degree levels. In terms of curriculum and content, the study states that gender is considered in some curriculum policies and processes, but there are very few institutional structures to ensure that gender is included. The research also showed that media and journalism students received limited theoretical grounding in gender. However, gender-specific modules have been developed at some institutions, and gender is incorporated into some course content.

The audit notes that there is a strong desire to integrate gender into teaching and learning, but that lack of knowledge of how to do it is a challenge. Both male and female students acknowledged the importance of gender in media education and journalism training. In terms of reading material, the report found that gender is largely missing, with lecturers citing a lack of gender and media texts developed in Africa as one of their challenges. Gender is also absent from student and staff assessments, and academic research on gender, media, and diversity issues could be broadened and deepened.

The report provides a model for gender mainstreaming via a case study of the Polytechnic of Namibia's collaboration with Gender Links, as well as conclusions and recommendations that draw on a pilot project already underway in Namibia to mainstream gender into media education. These recommendations cover the six themes of the study. Some of the recommendations include:

• developing gender-responsive human resources, staff development, and student enrolment policies;
• reviewing curriculum development policies and procedures;
• organising institutional exchanges to share expertise;
• developing a stand-along module on gender and the media;
• developing a reference guide of teaching materials;
• developing media lecturers' capacity to create gender and media materials;
• training lecturers on issues of gender; and
• networking with the media industry and media development organisations.