Gender-Based Violence in Africa: How Kenyan Media is Striking Back
Gender-based violence is a topic that is as current as ever. It does not choose targets. Despite the helpful holistic approaches of organisations such as Kenya’s Gender Violence Recovery Centre (GVRC), which include medical, mental, and legal resources, the organisation also campaigns and focuses on physical interactions.
The nature of the issue remains dynamic. GBV is far less simple than presented. It is more than just a physical assault now. It takes an emotional and mental paradigm, and more importantly, a digital one.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)-led BodyRight Campaign advocates for safety online. It also teaches the dangers of exploitation online. Even the news world has allotted much sensitivity to the topic. The Media Council of Kenya ensures that GBV stories are handled with care and accuracy.
Healing through storytelling: podcasts and shows
So This Is Love
A seasoned example is ‘So This is Love,’ hosted by famous personality Jules (Juliet Gaitho). An episode that dominated Kenyans’ screen time was the ‘Sofia and Bumpy,’ which showed us ‘meet cutes’ and chemistry don’t always guarantee healthy relationships.
In another episode, Kenyan voices spoke out on the various forms of GBV that take place in East Africa. Victims and activists alike can draw strength from such testimonies and use them to fuel the fight against gender-based violence.
#UNiteGIZKenya podcast
Another great example is the #UNiteGIZKenya podcast, which ran from 25th November to December 10th in 2022. Their 4–10-minute podcast episodes go into detail about the mental and physical well-being of GBV survivors. To date, it has 16, which fits the theme of the 16 Days of Activism.
#UNiteGIZKenya podcast left its mark in history, not only as advocates against violence against women and girls (VAWG), but as a movement that aims to do away with the slow economic growth tied to gender-based violence.
Chini Ya Mbuyu podcast
Chini Ya Mbuyu is a podcast for women by women hosted by Elizabeth Warindi. This unscripted production brings women into the fold, motivates them, and shares their experiences.
Not only does it revel in feminism and sexual health, but its episode list touches on SGBV (sexual and gender-based violence), teaching women how to identify it and common patterns that lead to it.
A Roving podcast
‘Gender and Justice Conversations in Kenya’ is a five-part series produced by Equality Now. It is hosted by Kenyan filmmaker Philip Karanja and musician Kambua Manundu.
The series highlights incidences of GBV across Kenyan counties. It features personal accounts and testimonies. These stories not only provide an immersive experience of Kenyan survivors but also highlight pivotal matters such as female genital mutilation (FGM), child marriages, and sexual violence.
Breaking the Silence
Breaking the Silence is a biweekly podcast that, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, discusses GBV stories based in the African continent.
Although there are multiple podcasts by the same title, varying from topics such as pornography to men’s mental health, none of them provides uniquely African experiences that fit puzzle pieces to the space sexual and gender-based violence occupies currently.
Gender-based violence portrayal in the media
Over the years, international media have woven tales that tackle GBV at its core. From ‘Big Little Lies’ to ‘It Ends With Us.’
Victims of GBV have found voices that resonate with their own. African media have also been responsible for creating awareness and providing education on the subject.
Just like the times change, GBV follows suit. Methods that are used to tackle it today might not be effective tomorrow. Gender violence is not an issue that can be vanquished in a day; unfortunately, it is a force that is not only prominent in more remote areas but also in people’s minds.
The most important thing is to keep the awareness up and consistently spread awareness on the matter till it reaches someone who needs it.
