Community Media Broadcasters: Building Capacities for Amplifying Voices of Rural Women

CSW 62 Side Event, Friday, March 23

A lively interaction followed an enriching report presented by a panel of experienced community radio broadcasters.  A wide cross section of cultures was represented – Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Philippines, India, Europe, Caribbean, and CEDAW

Panelists shared how community radio helped women get their voices heard by providing opportunities for them to share their stories, be on talk shows, and even host call-in programs!

These radio programs are also a platform to educate the locals about values such as peace, respect for women and girls, and solidarity. Music is also incorporated in these messages.

Community radios empowered women, especially those who are seeking change, with the ability to bring other women together, inspiring them to live a life of self dignity.

One challenge was funding because dialects change every 500 meters, in India for example, making it necessary to have many community radios set up. It was also noticed that if the radio is mainly male dominated, it attracts mainly male listeners/audiences. For women to feel it’s safe to share their stories, it was necessary to have women on the radio shows.

The gathering then participated in a virtual radio with live call-in! It was fun. It was amazing how easily it was to offer real help to someone in need, whether emotionally or physically.

Community radios are ‘for, by and of the people.’ So much can be done for the residents of rural areas through community radio stations as it is free, allows for people to openly share, and as AMARC members say, “rural radio, cooperative radio, participatory radio, free radio, alternative, popular, educational radio.”

The Brahma Kumaris has a radio station, Radio Madhuban 90.4FM, which hosts many programs for residents of the Mt. Abu area specifically. The team also goes into the villages to chat with the women, girls, boys, and men educating them about various issues such as, child marriages, gender equality, health related issues, addiction, etc. Some of the rural women also hosts talk shows.  Facebook page

“When radio fosters the participation of citizens and defends their interests; when it reflects the tastes of the majority and makes good humour and hope its main purpose; when it truly informs; when it helps resolve the thousand and one problems of daily life; when all ideas are debated in its programs and all opinions are respected; when cultural diversity is stimulated over commercial homogeneity; when women are main players in communication and not simply a pretty voice or a publicity gimmick; when no type of dictatorship is tolerated, not even the musical dictatorship of the big recording studios; when everyone’s words fly without discrimination or censorship, that is community radio. Radio stations that bear this name do not fit the logic of money or advertising. Their purpose is different, their best efforts are put at the disposal of civil society. Of course this service is highly political: it is a question of influencing public opinion, denying conformity, creating consensus, broadening democracy. The purpose – whence the name – is to build community life.” “Manual urgente para Radialistas Apasionados”. José Ignacio Lopez Vigil. 1997

BK Sabita and Archana Kapoor of Radio MEWAT, Haryana.

It was lovely to meet many enthusiasts!

Danilo Parmegiani, Legion of Goodwill; BK Sabita; Manoj Pandey, Special Educator.