The Role of the Uganda Media in Protection of Women’s Rights in Uganda. A Case Study of “The New Vision” And The Daily Monitor “Newspapers”

TABLE OF CONTENT

DECLARATION I

APPROVAL II

DEDICATION III

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS IV

TABLE OF CONTENT V

LIST OF FIGURES VIII

LIST OF TABLES IX

ACRONYMS X

ABSTRACT XII

CHAPTER ONE 1

1.0 INTRoDUCTION 1

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 1

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS 3

1.3 OI~wCTIvEs OF THE STUDY 5

1.3.1 General Objectives: 5

1.3.2 Specific Objectives: S

1.3.3 Research Questions S

1.4 ScOPE OFTHE STUDY~ 5

1.5 SIGNIFIcANCE/JUSTIFICATION 6

CHAPTER TWO: 7

LITERARURE REVIEW 7

2.1 INTRoDUCTION 7

2.2 THE CONCEPT OF HUMAN RIGHTS; 7

2.4.1 Classification by nature 8

2.4.3 Negative Rights 10

2.4.4 Positive Rights 10

2.5 CuLTURAL ATTITUDES AFFECTING Wor~1EN 10

2.6 THE ROLE MEDIA PLAYS IN PROMOTION OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS 12

2.7 LOOPHOLES HINDERING EFFEcTIvE PRor~ioTIoN OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS BY THE MEDIA 16

2.7.1 Media Censorship: 16

2.7.2 Monetary influence 16

2.7.3 Media Ownership 16

2.7.4 Imbalance in Media Coverage 17

2. 7.5 Rampant Arrests 17

2.7.6 Ignorance and Lack ofAwareness 17

2.8 REcOMMENDATIONS OF THE STUDY 18

2.8.1 Creation ofa balance in News Reporting 18

2.8.2 Provision ofintensive resources 18

2.8.3 Adoption ofPhysical Protection Measures 18

2.8.4 Training ofJournalists 18

2.8.5 Creation ofMedia Accountability Systems 19

2.8.7 Needfor adequate Research 19

2.9 THEom~TIcAJ.. FRAMEWORK 20

2.9.1 Conceptual model 23

CHAPTER THREE 24

RES EARCH METHODOLOGY 24

V

3.1 INTRODUCTION• 24

3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN 24

3.3 POPULATION OF THE STUDY 24

3.4 SAMPLING TECHNIQUES 25

3.5 METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION 25

3.6 DATA ANALYSIS 26

3.7 ETHICAL CONSIDERATION 26

3.8 LIMITATIONS ENCOUNTERED 26

CHAPTER FOUR 28

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 28

4.0 INTRODUCTION 28

4.1 PRESENTATION OF DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION 28

4.2 RESPONSE ON INCIDENTS OF WOMEN’S RiGHTS VIOLATION IN UGANDA 31

4.2.1 Domestic Violence 3]

4.2.2 Female Genital Mutilation 32

4. 2. 3 Indecent Assaults 32

4.2.4 Involuntary Intoxication 33

4.3 RESPONSE ON VIOLATION OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS 33

4.3.1 Right to Property Ownership 34

4.3.2 Right to Property Inheritance 34

4.3.3 Right to Participate in Government 34

4.3.4 TheRight to Employment 35

4.3.5 Right to Education 35

4.3.6 Right to Marriage and Divorce 35

4.3.7 The Right to Food 36

4.4 REsPoNSE ON THE ROLE OF MEDIA IN WOMEN’S RIGHTS PRoTECTION 36

4.4.1 The role ofthe media in protection of Women’s Rights 37

4.5 SHowING RESPONSE ON LOOPHOLES HINDERING EFFECTIVE PROTECTION OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS

BY THE MEDIA 37

4.5.1 Media Censorship 38

4.5.2 Monetary Influence

4.5.3 Media Ownership 38

4.5.4 Imbalance in Media Coverage 39

4.5.5 Rampant Arrests 39

4.5.6 Ignorance and lack of awareness 39

CHAPTER FIVE 41

DISCUSSIONS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECCOMMENDATIONS 41

5.0 INTRODUCTION 41

5.1 DISCUSSIONS OF FINDINGS 41

5.1.1 Domestic Violence 4]

5.1.2 Female Genital Mutilation 42

5.1.3 Indecent Assault 43

5.1.4 Involuntary Intoxication 44

5.2 VIOLATIONS OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS 44

5.2.1 Denial of entitlements 44

5.2.2 Right to Property Ownership 45

5.2.3 Right to Inherit Property 46

5.2.4 The Right to Marriage and Divorce 47

5.2.5 The Right to Participate in Government 48

5.2.6 The Right to Employment 48

5.2.7. The Right to Education 49

5.2.8 The Right to Food 49

5.3 THE ROLE OF MEDIA IN PROTECTION OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS 50

ABSTRACT The role of the media in protection of women’s rights cannot be ignored. However, it is a common perception among media scholars today, that there is a progressive shrinkage in media coverage on women’s issues. The study shows that the ratio of men to women is 49:51, yet women are still stereotyped as dependant and passive beings who barely contribute to the development process within the society. The study is based on the assumption that media hasn’t given enough recognition, assistance and attention, in relation to portrayal of women’s issues. The study also sets out to highlight the different ways in which media portrays women. The New Vision and The Daily Monitor newspapers were selected as the media houses for the case study, due to their wide circulation all over Uganda. The different methods of research that were employed to carry out this study were both qualitative and quantitative in nature. Content analysis of the two papers of 2000, 2004 and 2008 were purposively sampled. Expert sampling was employed to carry out the interviews. The study findings prove the hypothesis of the study right. Most of the news about women was stereotypical, based on beauty and fashion, and defined women mostly in their ‘natural’ role as mothers and wives, rather than contributors to societal developments. The study generally recommends the media to highlight women’s contribution, whether in political, economical or social spheres.