Chapter 7

Democratic Republic of Congo: Women and Community Radio

By Henriette Kumakana

One aspect of development being the participation of all, it is worth noting that like her counterpart man, woman has her rights and duties in society and must contribute to the development and the construction of the nation.

Given the above, women in media in general, and those of community radio in particular, must contribute positively in their respective communities to the advancement of their nations. They must not diminish themselves or let others put them down (men or other women – as women’s enemy, it is said, is woman herself), and they must prove what they are capable of. Women, especially those in community radio, must therefore be in solidarity with one another with respect to their development and contributions to society. Associations of women in media therefore struggle for the advancement of women and encourage women to be at all levels of society. At the same time associations of women are fighting the inferiority complex which is still the preserve of many women who believe that the work performed by men is somehow special. There are indeed many women’s trainings manuals on human rights, women’s participation, female leadership, women and good governance, women and community-building, the gender approach, etc., and should allow women in general to become imbued with this logic in order to meet the Millennium Goals by 2015. Women in media should not excluded but, to the contrary, must play a major role in training, informing and educating the community on the consideration due to women and on women’s rights. They must raise awareness in the population to fight against all forms of discrimination against women. Women in media are supposed to know more and must therefore help other women and men who have not yet understood the benefits of the gender approach, who believe that women are incompetent, incapable, weak and unable to measure up when facing an obstacle.

Traditionally, and even today in some environments such as in our villages in RDC, woman has been disrespected. Wmone are not allowed to contribute to development or to community-building. As a weak being, she is thought just to wait for marriage; that she is good only for housework and giving birth to children. Some men use women as a tool or a production machine and this is favoured by polygamy, since a man who had several women could expect an abundant harvest. Every woman had to prove that she is strong in order to be loved more by her husband and her in-laws, only like that she will be called a woman of the clan or a strong woman. Then if the man were to consider divorce, all the members of the clan would oppose it, saying, ¨She is a strong woman who works enough and who gives us children, one whom we hold in esteem and have called woman of the clan.¨ It is according to that logic that education of girls is minimal compared to that of boys, for the woman could only expect marriage.

Currently in the villages (even in the cities in some cases), women are not respected because of cultural reservations, discriminatory customs and practices with respect to women have forced women to take a back seat.

There are also churches that preach against women’s participation and the gender approach, trying to convince people with the words of the Bible, which says, “women should be quiet in the assembly of saints.” In other words, women must be quiet since their godmother Eve betrayed the world, or so they say. For those who say “Amen” and take the words of their pastors as Gospel, a woman who stands out, who works, who gets involved in politics, such a woman they consider to be blaspheming against the word of God. When a woman works, she is considered a whore, an easy woman, disobeying God’s word. That is why there are intellectual women who are not permitted to work by their husbands because of the influence of their friends, their families and also of certain men of God.

The consequences are disastrous! Just consider health as an example, women are exposed to sexually transmitted diseases because they do not have the right to say anything before the man and master. He must prevail, while the woman can say nothing, for she is but a woman, with her weak status. Even in education, since a good woman can only give what she has, it is not easy for an illiterate woman to take care of the education of her children and especially of her daughters, to give just one example.

The impact of community radio on women’s situation and good governance

It is on this account that women in media, especially in community radio, must work hard at making the community understand that a woman is capable of doing what a man can do, that she can contribute positively to the community for the welfare of the population and the development of the nation. Community radio stations, being close to the people, have an important role to play in this specific case: they must make women understand that they must struggle to find their place in society, they must try to create political programs in which women and men express themselves, social programs, programs on women and development, good governance, community-building, without forgetting programming for youth and children, for they are also vulnerable. They must make women speak and hold debates which can convince the community that a woman can bring change while showing examples of certain women leaders in the world and especially those of their communities who are good examples to follow. They must portrait known women to encourage other women, especially girls and young women, who still have enough time to study and immerse themselves in any area of study of their choosing.

Politics was considered an exclusively male domain because it was caricatured as an affair of crooks and liars, thieves and destroyers, a domain to which a woman could not have access.

Community radio, which is close to its audience and is listened to with great attention by the community that seeks understanding about its situation and its environment, is supposed to help inform the population about certain realities such as civic education, good governance and development; it must prove to the community that without everyone’s participation, and therefore without sexual, ageist, tribal or clan discrimination, one cannot speak of sustainable and effective development; a country cannot be built upon if a category of people is put down. Community radio can help to show that women can contribute to good governance, that their contributions in government or in other institutions can be remarkable, that no doubt should be cast upon woman’s ability to manage public life. Just as a woman who manages her home is able to save and budget, so she can do the same for her community, and even for her nation. That does not mean that all women are competent, but some women stand out because of their know-how.

With respect to the above, community radio can contribute to the development of the nation, to good governance, to the active participation of women in public management, and to the acceptance and affirmation of women. Community radio is a plus, both for the government and for its citizens, because it does not discriminate: everyone feels implicated and contributes to the development of the nation, women included. They can contribute positively because of the awareness they have gained from radio, because it is one of the means of communication with the widest audience, followed with the greatest of interest, and it can therefore lead to many changes in the life of the community.