Gender Issues And Mungunda

I WRITE this letter in my capacity as a Christian believer and as a journalist with six years’ experience.

Like Minister of Gender Equality Marlene Mungunda, I will be praying for a change in the way the Namibian media report gender-related violence (The Namibian, Friday March 30, page 3). Too often, stories on rape, domestic violence and discrimination are not given the priority they deserve.In general terms, they are not investigated beyond the one-line descriptions given in the daily Police crime report.Not enough work is done on investigating the causes of these acts, and when such stories are written, they generally sit on the deep-inside pages, while pictures of corporate donations find themselves onto pages one, two and three.Coverage of gender issues is serious business, which is why the Media Institute of Southern Africa, as a professional body, has taken the lead in demanding improved reporting.So I, too, prophesy a change in the Namibian media’s reporting of gender issues.But I also prophesy, and pray for, change in Government and in society.I prophesy a day when NO government will think it acceptable to send rapists to prison for 10 years, while someone caught stealing some goats or smoking cannabis can be locked up for 20 years or more.I prophesy that one day we will hire sensitive policemen and women who investigate cases of gender-related violence speedily and professionally.I prophesy a change within political parties that will lead to women getting the 51 per cent representation in Parliament that their numbers deserve.I prophesy a change in the business community, which still contributes to discrimination against women by treating them differently from their male colleagues.And I apologise for the fact that, as an economics journalist from 2002 to 2004, I failed to fully investigate and report on these malpractices.I prophesy that certain churchmen will stop misquoting the Bible, or quoting it out of context, to suggest that women are inferior to men or must only stay home and mind the children.I prophesy that sooner or later, through concerted public action, we will get responsible public officials and ministers who wouldn’t even THINK of parking their official cars outside shebeens.I prophesy a future free from homophobia and the unwanted prying into people’s private lives that goes with it.Finally, I will pray for dialogue in society, and for ministers and officials to treat all citizens, including members of the media, as human beings, created in God’s image as described in Genesis chapter 1, verse 27.Hugh Ellis WindhoekToo often, stories on rape, domestic violence and discrimination are not given the priority they deserve.In general terms, they are not investigated beyond the one-line descriptions given in the daily Police crime report.Not enough work is done on investigating the causes of these acts, and when such stories are written, they generally sit on the deep-inside pages, while pictures of corporate donations find themselves onto pages one, two and three.Coverage of gender issues is serious business, which is why the Media Institute of Southern Africa, as a professional body, has taken the lead in demanding improved reporting.So I, too, prophesy a change in the Namibian media’s reporting of gender issues.But I also prophesy, and pray for, change in Government and in society.I prophesy a day when NO government will think it acceptable to send rapists to prison for 10 years, while someone caught stealing some goats or smoking cannabis can be locked up for 20 years or more.I prophesy that one day we will hire sensitive policemen and women who investigate cases of gender-related violence speedily and professionally.I prophesy a change within political parties that will lead to women getting the 51 per cent representation in Parliament that their numbers deserve.I prophesy a change in the business community, which still contributes to discrimination against women by treating them differently from their male colleagues.And I apologise for the fact that, as an economics journalist from 2002 to 2004, I failed to fully investigate and report on these malpractices.I prophesy that certain churchmen will stop misquoting the Bible, or quoting it out of context, to suggest that women are inferior to men or must only stay home and mind the children.I prophesy that sooner or later, through concerted public action, we will get responsible public officials and ministers who wouldn’t even THINK of parking their official cars outside shebeens.I prophesy a future free from homophobia and the unwanted prying into people’s private lives that goes with it.Finally, I will pray for dialogue in society, and for ministers and officials to treat all citizens, including members of the media, as human beings, created in God’s image as described in Genesis chapter 1, verse 27.Hugh Ellis Windhoek