The Education Coalition of Zimbabwe (ECOZI), in collaboration with its partners, has urged media practitioners to prioritise gender equality and social inclusion when reporting on education issues.
This call to action emerged during a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) training designed to strengthen the capacity of journalists and media professionals to report effectively on education from a gender and inclusion perspective.
The training also aimed to advance the objectives of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4 – Quality Education and SDG 5 – Gender Equality.
In an interview following the training, ECOZI’s Programmes Manager, Wadzanayi Chitiga, emphasised that promoting gender equality and social inclusion within the media is fundamental to fostering equitable and inclusive development.
She noted that journalists play a pivotal role in shaping public opinion, influencing social norms, and amplifying marginalised voices.
“We discussed gender, equality, and social inclusion while highlighting the importance of incorporating GESI in the education sector.
“We shared the basics and legal frameworks, as well as different aspects of ensuring that no one is left behind, starting with infrastructure guided by the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
“Riding on SDG 3, which advocates for leaving no one behind, SDG 5 on gender equality, and SDG 13 on climate action, we aim for an inclusive approach,” Chitiga said.
She further stated that the discussion was intended to encourage media professionals to take the lead in advocating for inclusivity in the education sector.
“Reflecting on past disasters, such as Cyclone Idai, we must consider the impact on affected children and whether they have returned to the education system.
“We are here to support the community, and we are working on a clear roadmap to ensure that quality education is implemented strategically.
“While roundtables and various engagements are beneficial, it is now time for the media to assume a leadership role in ensuring gender-responsive budgeting and social inclusion as we create safe learning environments in educational institutions,” she added.
Speaking on the sidelines of the training, facilitator Dr. Mxolisi Sillah noted that the primary goal of the training was to enhance the skills of media practitioners to produce transformative content focused on gender equality and social inclusion.
“With GESI media content, we implore the media to create material that will challenge stereotypes and change community behaviours concerning gender and social inclusion.
“There is a need to drive the entire education ecosystem towards achieving GESI transformation in Zimbabwe.
“Our aim was to equip media practitioners with a solid understanding of the concepts of gender and social inclusion,” Dr Sillah said.
He emphasised that the training helped journalists grasp the legal and policy frameworks that underpin GESI as a guiding principle in Zimbabwe.
“We also discussed the processes of conducting GESI analysis as a tool to develop high-quality media content aimed at enhancing gender transformation.
“Additionally, we explored various media platforms to drive traffic and bolster GESI advocacy within the education sector.
“The ultimate goal is to foster collaborative advocacy between media practitioners and civil society to enhance GESI transformation within education.
“With this collaborative effort, we envision a scenario where all learners, regardless of their gender identities and backgrounds, enjoy equitable access to education,” he added.
Through this GESI training, media practitioners will be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and ethical grounding necessary to produce fair, sensitive, and inclusive reporting.
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