Women's Empowerment and Good Governance Through - amarc

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Best Experiences for an Action Research Process 62 Chapter 11: The Issue of Governance Within Radio and of Women in Society By Haby Diallo (34) Mali enjoys a free and independent media environment. The country has more than 200 FM radio stations, Radio Bèlèkan of Kati being one of them, which reflect great cultural diversity and a wide range of opinions. Radio in the local languages has the greatest impact and reaches the majority of the population. Despite the media explosion after the March 1991 events and the arrival of democracy in Mali, there continue to be very few women in the media sector. This can be attributed to the weight of socio-cultural factors. Radio Bèlèkan is no exception to this rule, of its staff of 21, only four are women. The low proportion of women working in radio is the result of social prejudices and women who run media in Mali are rare. Out of close to 200 radio stations, there are only approximately seven women administrators. I have been the Director of Radio Bèlèkan in Kati, Mali, since 2000 and I have always directed this organization with a high sense of responsibility, in other words democratically. At all levels, I have named section heads. Each person assumed responsibilities with the greatest of freedom at his or her level. Decisions are taken collectively and by consensus. Training has been
63 Best Experiences for an Action Research Process allocated fairly to staff members according to their specific areas of interest. With the creation of Radio Bèlèkan in 2000, our policy was to work with civil society. For this purpose, listener clubs were created everywhere in the radius of Kati, and often beyond that. Currently, more than thirty clubs have given themselves the task of accompanying Bèlèkan in its mission of developing Bèlèdougou. These listener clubs serve as intermediaries for the station. The program is designed with the participation of all actors so as to take into account the real concerns of the milieu. Conscious of all of the socio-cultural development opportunities offered by the radio, the rural inhabitants decided to begin a second phase of their mission of accompanying Radio Bèlèkan. In its development programs on health, human rights, the environment, society news, decentralization, etc., the station was a factor in raising people’s consciousness in civil society. Given the specificity of the area covered by the radio, which is Bèlèdougou, a basically Bambara socio-cultural area where the sexual division of tasks is emphasized, it is not unusual to observe, even within groupings, women on one side, men on the other. This explains why a very active coordination of women’s clubs subsequently began. One of its assets is a mutual benefit society that allows the members to save funds which are then distributed judiciously among different women members in succession. Three women’s clubs were trained by the station with the help of one of its partners in radio animation and production techniques. To be respected, admired and to have the place that we deserve, we must stand out through our work, our constant availability and also by overcoming the socio-cultural constraints which we face on a daily basis. As the person in charge of a radio station, and in order for our associations to work properly, I would ask my other colleagues to adopt the principles of good governance. Notes: 34.- Radio Bélékan, Mali
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Women's Empowerment and Good Governance Through - amarc

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