South Africa was the main destination, worldwide, for new asylum-seekers in 2006, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). It is surprising then, the lack of attention that World Refugee Day and its associated gender issues got from the South African media. Amnesty International n...
In this update, we look at the South African media’s coverage of women on National Women’s Day, and the day before and after in the daily print. News media with weekly publications were investigated the week before and after the commemoration of the event. This was monitored by the Media Monitor...
This short look at the coverage around the death of Adelaide Tambo was a follow-up to coverage on Coretta Scott King. The media did exceptionally well in their role to educate and inform in this instance. It is a temptation when reporting on a woman, married to a man of influence, to slide into repo...
The 50th year anniversary of the 1956 women’s pass march offered media an opportunity to educate and inform South African’s of the role played by women in the struggle against apartheid. Diverse women featured in coverage including: The stories of heroines, leaders and activists; gender-based vi...
Sex workers in South Africa, and around the world, are doubly vulnerable, firstly because of their job which exposes them to a myriad of risks, including rape, HIV/AIDS and even slavery. They are vulnerable, too, because they engage in illegal activities, which opens them up to exploitation by polic...
The coverage surrounding the ongoing court case over the death of Netshisaulu Avhatakali and the representation of his wife as a “black widow” murderer typifies recent coverage on women involved in their husband’s deaths. The coverage of this court case brought to light other cases, in which w...
Considering the recent 16 days campaign, it is disappointing to note the billboard campaign currently ongoing by Triumph International. Rather than ‘supporting’ women, Triumph has produced a range of outdoor adverts which implicitly promote stereotypical views of women. The adverts are currently...
November 25 will see the start of the International 16 Days of No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign. As the country focuses on issues of violence and abuse of children and both men and women, it is worth considering one of the most prominently reported rape cases; the trial of former depu...
The Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) South African report was launched at Constitutional Hill on 7 March 2006. According to Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, speaking in her keynote address. “In spite of the numerous advances that we have made as a society, it is clear even from the...