admin | November 24, 2023
In a region trying to cope with social reconstruction following decades of post-electoral violence, Radio Régionale Guémon FM in Côte d’Ivoire has launched a groundbreaking initiative by creating Femmes Plurielles (Women Plural), a radio program committed to addressing women’s issues. The program has a specific focus on gender-based violence and women’s rights. Airing on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. for 30 minutes, the program features contributions from broadcasters Dion Félicité-Aichata, Fatigua-Gnadey, and Inès Audrey.
Aware that media, and especially radio, plays a pivotal role in educating and positively influencing communities, the team views effective communication as a powerful development tool with tangible impacts on the population. In 2022, the radio station joined a large radio campaign with Farm Radio International, Côte d’Ivoire-ALMA Production, and other partners. This initiative facilitated three months of broadcasts of theatrical shows and discussions in multiple languages that addressed various women’s issues, including gender-based violence. By the end of the campaign, women associated with village savings and loans groups and co-operatives saw improvements in their social, economic, and democratic situations, as evidenced by many testimonials during the program’s evaluation.
The mission of Femmes Plurielles includes engaging men through messages that emphasize protecting women from gender-based violence, promoting communication to mitigate conflicts in households, raising awareness of the legal consequences of gender-based violence, and advocating for women’s involvement in family decision-making.
While focusing on active community participation, the station’s productions include collaborations with local legal clinics, social centres, community leaders, village leaders, and elected officials. Survivors of gender-based violence in the affected region can access resources such as the Guémon Human Rights Commission, legal clinics, social centres, the gendarmerie, traditional leadership, the Bangolo municipality, and the Guémon Regional Council.Femmes Plurielles is playing a significant role in the fight against gender-based violence, using radio to foster positive change in a region committed to social reconstruction and progress.