Paper Status Tracking

Journals by Title

Journals by Subject

Contact us

	[email protected]
	3275638434

	Paper Publishing WeChat

Useful Links

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Article

Open Access

Harnessing the Potential of Community Radio in Empowering Rural Women in Malawi

Author(s)

Peter Mhagama

Full-Text PDF Download XML 2225 Views

DOI:10.17265/2159-5526/2015.02.002

Affiliation(s)

University of Leicester, United Kingdom

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the extent to which community radio has the empowering and transformation potential. It draws on Nkhotakota community radio station in Malawi to analyze how community radio can empower women especially in rural areas. Although the whole of the rural population can be considered as marginalized, women are the most affected as they face marginalization in the family and village setting. Based on the data drawn from semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, document analysis, and participant observation, the paper observes that inequality and high illiteracy rate are the major hindrances among rural women which prevent them from accessing information necessary for their improvement. This paper argues that community radio has the potential to empower women in rural areas by providing them with access to information necessary to empower and transform their lives and enable them to participate in development activities.

KEYWORDS

Access to information, community radio, empowerment, marginalized people, women

Cite this paper

Sociology Study, February 2015, Vol. 5, No. 2, 91-102

References

Al-hassan, S., A. Andani, and A. Abdul-Malik. 2011. “The Role of Community Radio in Livelihood Improvement: The Case of Simli Radio.” The Journal of Field Actions 5. Retrieved January 11, 2012 (http://factreports.revues.org/ 869).

AMARC (World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters). 1998. What Is Community Radio? A Resource Guide. Lusaka: AMARC & Panos Publishers.

Berrigan, F. J. 1979. Community Communications: The Role of Community Media in Development. Paris: UNESCO.

Butterfoss, F. D. 2006. “Process Evaluation for Community Participation.” Annual Review Public Health 27:323-340. Retrieved February 28, 2012 (http://www.annualreviews. org).

Connell, D. 1997. “Participatory Development: An Approach Sensitive to Class and Gender.” Development in Practice 7:248-259.

Cornwall, A. 2000. “Making a Difference? Gender and Participatory Development.” IDS Discussion Paper 378. Brighton, England: Institute of Development Studies. Retrieved January 20, 2014 (http://www.ntd.co.uk/ idsbokshop/details.asp?id=597).

Development Broadcasting Unit (DBU). 2000. The Development Broadcasting Unit. Retrieved January 20, 2005 (http://www.mbcradios.com/aboutmbc/dbu.htm).

Dugan, M. A. 2003. “Empowerment.” In Beyond Intractability, edited by G. Burgess and H. Burgess. Boulder: Conflict Research Consortium, University of Colorado.

Farm Radio International. 2011. Participatory Radio Campaigns and Food Security: How Radio Can Help Farmers Make Informed Decisions. Retrieved (http://www. farmradio.org/pubs/farmradioprcreport2011).

Girard, B., ed. 2001. A Passion for Radio: Radio Waves and Community. Retrieved (http://comunica.org/passion/ contents.htm).

Hallett, L. 2012. “Measuring Community Radio Audiences.” In Radio Evolution: Conference Proceedings, edited by M. Oliveira, P. Portela, and L. A. Santos. Braga: Communication and Society Research Centre, University of Minho.

Held, D. 2006. Models of Democracy. 3rd ed. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Kabeer, N. 2011. “Contextualizing the Economic Pathways of Women’s Empowerment: Findings From a Multi-country Research Programme.” Pathways Policy Paper, October 2011. Brighton: Pathways of Women’s Empowerment RPC.

Lennie, J. and J. Tacchi. 2013. Evaluating Communication for Development: A Framework for Social Change. Oxon: Routledge.

Lingela, M. B. 2008. “Community Broadcasting in SADC: An Overview.” Gender and Media Diversity Journal. Retrieved (http://www.genderlinks.org.za).

Mano, W. 2011. “Why Radio Is Africa’s Medium of Choice in the Global Age.” Pp. 102-116 in Radio in Africa: Publics, Cultures, Communities, edited by L. Gunner, D. Liganga, and D. Moyo. Johannesburg: Wits University Press.

Manyozo, L. 2005. “The Practice of Participation in Broadcasting for Development in Post-independent Malawi.” Journal of Social Development in Africa 20:77-105.

——. 2012. People’s Radio: Communicating Change Across Africa. Penang: Southbound.

Mongella, G. 1995. “Moving Beyond Rhetoric.” In Women: Looking Beyond 2000. New York: United Nations Publications.

Moyo, M. 1991. “Development Through Radio: Special Feature.” Community Development Journal 26:227-232.

Naaikuur, L. and A. L. Diedong. 2014. “Core Dimensions of Community Radio in Action: The Case of Ghana.” Global Media Journal African Edition 8:175-206.

Nair, K. S. and S. White, eds. 1993. Perspectives on Development Communication. New Delhi: SAGE Publications.

Narayan, D., ed. 2002. Empowerment and Poverty Reduction: A Sourcebook. Washington, D.C.: The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

National Statistical Office (NSO). 2008. Malawi Population and Housing Census Report. Zomba, Malawi.

——. 2011. Welfare Monitoring Survey Report. Zomba, Malawi.

——. 2012. Integrated Household Survey 2010-2011: Household Socio-economic Characteristics Report. Zomba, Malawi.

Nkhotakota Community Radio Station Policy Document. (N.d).

Panos. 2005. The Broadcasting Landscape: Malawi. Lusaka: Panos.

Parker, W., A. Rau, and P. Peppa. 2007. HIV/AIDS Communication in Selected African Countries: Interventions, Responses and Possibilities. Lusaka: SIDA.

Quebral, N. C. 2012. Development Communication Primer. Penang: Southbound.

Republic of Malawi. 2010. Nkhotakota District Assembly Social Economic Profile. Nkhotakota District Council.

Sen, A. K. 1999. Development as Freedom. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Servaes, J. 1999. Communication for Development: One World, Multiple Cultures. Cresskill, N.J.: Hampton Press.

Sterling, S. R., J. O’Brien, and J. K. Bennett. 2009. “Advancement Through Interactive Radio.” Inf Syst Front 11:145-154.

Tufte, T. 2005. “Entertainment Education in Development Communication: Between Marketing Behaviours and Empowering people.” In Communication for Social Change Anthology, edited by A. Gumucio-Dagron and T. Tufte. CFSC Consortium.

Tufte, T. and P. Mefalopulos. 2009. Participatory Communication: A Practical Guide. Washington, D.C.: The World Bank.