By Nyasha Dube
Minister of Media, Information and Publicity Honorable Jenfan Muswere says government is working towards formulating a Sexual Harassment Policy for the media industry, with the end goal to end cases of sexual harassment in newsrooms.
This comes at a time when several cases of sexual harassment have surging, with female journalists mostly at the receiving end.
Speaking at a Gender Media Conference held in Harare recently, Hon. Muswere expressed his concerns over the increase of sexual harassment cases in newsrooms.
“The biggest challenge facing women in media is sexual harassment. There’s a bad organizational behavior which has become a custom, whereby senior journalists to abuse other practitioners. It is mainly women who complain that they are being sexually harassed by their male counterparts,” he said.
He added that the information ministry seeks to ensure that all newsrooms adhere to the policy, saying there is a thin line between sexual harassment and labor issues.
“We need to clearly define what sexual harassment and come up with measures to stop sexual harassment in media houses. We also need empower the girl child and women in the media industry so that they are not vulnerable,”
Hon. Muswere also expressed concerns over the means through which female journalists end up getting jobs and favors because of their vulnerability and the need to climb the labor, urging the female media practitioners to always preserve their dignity.
“I encourage women in media to educate their younger sisters on how they can excel in the industry without cutting corners or compromising their dignity. Let’s also ensure gender equality in newsrooms so that we tell Zimbabwean stories where women’s voices are heard and resected,” Hon Muswere said.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Media Commission is currently conducting validation engagements with various media players to review the draft policy and foster a safe workspace for media practitioners.