The Media High Council (MHC) has trained journalists on the five-year Gender Main streaming strategy in the media sector.According to MHC officials, the sensitisation and awareness campaign was started after a gender audit showed gaps in gender equality in the media sector.MHC Executive Secretary, Peacemaker Mbungiramihigo challenged journalists to address the existing inequalities in the media and society in general.“Journalists are supposed to champion gender equality. They are supposed to promote values that enhance gender equality in society. But they cannot do it when they lack the values they claim to be advocating for,” Mbungiramihigo said at the closure of the two-day training in Rwamagana this week.MHC findings reported limited capacity building on gender main streaming in the media houses.The awareness campaign is in line with the international convention on elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW).Emmanuel Mugisha, of MHC said there was hidden gender discrimination in many media outlets.“Media can paint something black or white. The way you report matters as far as gender main streaming is concerned,” he said.“The men take the lion’s share in most of your reports. This is the kind of discrimination that undermines our efforts. If you are talking about students sponsored for a course, highlight figures of females and males. It acts as an eye opener,” Mugisha added.Women journalists expressed their concerns over society’s negative attitude towards them.Saidat Murorunkwere of Voice of Africa said there were a number of issues that stood in the way of women journalists.“Media companies do not have enough funds to facilitate journalists. You do not expect broke journalists to sensitise society to embrace gender equality,” she said.Murorunkwere disclosed there were cases of sex corruption in some media companies.“We have issues of sex corruption in media. Unless a woman gives herself in to a manager, she won’t get a job,” she said.The training attracted about 40 journalists from different media houses in the country.
