The meeting established thematic working groups.
MISA-Lesotho was charged with the responsibility of heading the working group that would monitor print media reports for insensitive language use in areas of gender-based violence, gender equality, HIV and AIDS.

the thematic working and other groups suffered a communication breakdown and MISA Lesotho continued the project under Programme D on Media Support Activities of the MISA Strategic Partnership Programme, on gender, HIV and AIDS mainstreaming into the MISA Programme of Action.

This report is a summary of the monitoring of local print media reports undertaken by MISA-Lesotho from May to December 2004.

Media reports on gender based violence
During the monitoring period, fewer than ten articles on gender based violence were recorded. However, the monitoring group has reported an observation of an increase in coverage during the global ‘16 days of activism against gender based violence. Articles reported mainly incidents of sexual assaults carried out on girl children and women.

The Public Eye newspaper of July 30 2004 , carries a news article from the government owned Lesotho News Agency (LENA). The article, headline ‘Brother in court for raping sister' is a news item, presenting the facts as heard in a court case. Highlighted by the article is the plight faced by victims of sexual assaults.

Quoting a public prosecutor the reporter writes “Mr Motsamai said in some cases, victims were afraid to disclose the names of their assailants for fear of being killed, while others felt that they might be blamed for the incidences”.
The Public Eye newspaper of June 25 2004 carried a feature article on home based violence. The feature titled “Domestic violence a primitive reaction' takes an analytical look at the possible causes of home based violence as seen by ordinary people.

The analysis includes excerpts of interviews conducted worldwide. “No matter how a man is angry or offended he should not lose his senses but rather behave wisely by controlling his tempers and find an amicable way to sort things out “ says one interviewee from Russia. “…most victims are very aware of the danger of abusive relationships, but what is a woman to do if she lacks the economic resources and self-esteem to leave an abusive man.

Frankly I think that African women are just as victims of culture more than anything else-a culture that is used against them in several different ways”, says another interviewee from Zimbabwe .

The article provides statistical information which is said to be from “a worldwide survey by the British Broadcasting Corporation monitored by Public Eye…that one in three women worldwide have been beaten, coerced into sex or abused in their lifetime.

Key Findings
The above two instances of reports on gender based violence point to situations that have to be redressed by vigorous campaigns on the part of the media working together with other stakeholders.

The perception that if an abusive partner is economically and physically stronger than the other, then all manner of abuse must be tolerated and kept hidden is wrong and life threatening. Abusers must be made accountable. Victims of sexual assaults and other violence are not in the wrong and do not ask to be violated. The fear of disclosure of perpetrators must be removed. Perpetrators must not be protected, no matter their standing in society, communities or within families.

These are the messages that have to come across in reports on gender based violence. To this end, the media have to involve themselves in campaigns undertaken by other stakeholders. The media have to take issues further than simply reporting incidents of violence and violations.

They have to know the impacts including increased vulnerability to the contraction of HIV, a decrease in the ability to earn a living as a result of psychological and physical distress. These are scenarios that impact adversely on the socio-economic state of the country. Read more