Back to visit Gender Links

Fanuel Hadzizi (gender justice program officer), Mercilene Machisa (GBV indicators research manager), me, and Tinashe Padare (IT Officer). All three staffers are originally from Zimbabwe.

Thanks to the generosity of Gender Links, I had access to their resources during my trip to Johannesburg. As always, CEO Colleen Lowe Morna had a packed schedule, which this time included an out-of-country trip to raise funds while I was there. A big thanks to Saeanna Chingamuka, manager of the Gender and Media Diversity Center, for her time and help. My visit concluded with a presentation and discussion of my current research.

Visiting Johannesburg

I am in Johannesburg for the week to gather information for a variety of research projects. The media and gender activism organization Gender Links in Cyrildene, where I spent two weeks in 2007,  is my host and I stay at the beautiful Gender Links Cottages. Some of the topics I am investigating include women working in the media and especially the career of Ferial Haffajee, representations of polygamy, and gender and media in education. Thanks to my gracious host, Saeanna Chingamuka, manager of the Gender and Media Diversity Center.

One of the cottages

Coming Soon in Ecquid Novi: A closer look at gender and media activism in South Africa

Abstract: Media activism groups work to bring about change in the mainstream media, but their gains are often limited. Drawing on theories of the political function of news in a democracy, media sociology, and feminism, this article focuses on the specific experience of Gender Links, a Southern African gender and media organization founded in 2001. An analysis of institutional materials and 25 in-depth interviews shows that Gender Links is using a professional-technical approach to feminist media activism that is insufficient in bringing about deep and long-term change on an ideological level. It is suggested that Gender Links could benefit from more emphasis on political and countercultural approaches. The research also highlights some of the other dilemmas posed by issues related to funding, networking, the grassroots, press freedom, the profit motive, and the strong backlash from a patriarchal culture.