Media challenged to find positives in marginalised communities

Providence Moyo

The media has been identified as one of the key players in stereotyping persons with disabilities (PWDs).This emerged during a virtual discussion dubbed Elections Series 101 on Saturday.

A Gender Expert, Adele Mcilo said the media in the country continues to portray stereotypes against PWDs and other marginalised groups like Women.

“We continue to witness the portrayal of stereotypes in the media as we see a proliferation of articles of handouts  to PWDs and this is problematic because it portrays PWDs as people who are waiting to be fended for but there are PWDs who are doing well work in communities. 

If it’s not  handouts, it’s the amount of hate speech and denigrating statements targeted at female candidates vying for political office. We rarely see articles that do not portray beggarly PWDs or articles that showcase what the country stands to gain by supporting women and creating spaces for them to usher transformational leadership. I would like to challenge the media in the country to also try and give positive images by writing positive stories and creating engagement platforms considering that some of people from marginalised communities are aspiring election candidates and as such, their stories need to be told to break barriers and foster inclusion to leadership positions that include politics,” she said.

United Nations is on record stating that media influences opinion and is an instrumental tool in building positive images. 

“Images and stories in the media can deeply influence public opinion and establish societal norms. Persons with disabilities are seldom covered in the media, and when they are featured, they are often negatively stereotyped and not appropriately represented. It is common to see persons with disabilities treated as objects of pity who have medical treatment that needs to be overcomed as they have a tragic and disabling condition. 

The media can be a vital instrument in raising awareness, countering stigma and misinformation. It can be a powerful force to change societal misconceptions and present persons with disabilities as individuals that are a part of human diversity. By increasing  awareness and understanding of issues concerning marginalised communities, the media can actively contribute to an effective and successful integration of the marginalised in all aspects of societal life.  Indeed, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities requires States to raise awareness and combat stereotypes related to persons with disabilities, including encouraging all foems of media to portray persons with disabilities in a manner consistent with a respect for human rights.”

Centre For Innovation and Technology (CITE) journalist Tanaka Mrerwa said the media’s inclusion of marginalised communities is crucial to influence their active involvement in the country’s processes because without their inclusion democracy at all levels becomes questionable.

“We are in full swing of the election season, we need to actively inform marginalized communities about the election cycle and its full processes because ordinary citizens do not understand some of these processes. They need to be explained and implications of such processes be taken to  such communities  and this has to be done even post election  as information is key in decision making processes,” said Mrewa.