VOF WEEK 4 (FUNDAMENTALS OF OUT REACH)

Working with women and helping them make reflections and actions for a more equitable society with the dynamic participation of women is my personal vision for my life, community and the world at large.

It is worth noting that gender issues like other social problems generally are contemporary however, some are global, regional and national. More over, there are aspects that affect us directly while others affect us indirectly as such we need to strike a balance by not only addressing some of these issues respectively but to equally encompass all.

As a woman and mother I do have challenges and as a journalist too as a result, I encounter certain setbacks and bottlenecks but this of course is not suppose to hinder or calm my enthusiasm, determination in setting my goals and do my upmost to attain them.

Personally I might not have faced any stymie like other female folks but that does not forestall me from speaking out for the voiceless, motivate and encourage, feel and understand the despair, misery and pain of other women and join in advocating for gender equality, women empowerment and rights, and most importantly propagate and ensure better opportunities for our children especially the girl child.

Frene Ginwala a South African Speaker of Parliament holds that the main responsibility falls on the women themselves ‘ in any society and situation is those most affected who must bring about change’ and ‘those who are privileged benefit from a system that marginalize others, it is therefore up to us the women’.

To concur with this mind searching statement, I wish to remark that the media is the eye of the society hence, the media Practitioner’s success stories lies on their impact and changes they can effect. Consequently, without women’s active and prominent representation in the media and decision- making positions, the gender fight and crisis – marginalization, discrimination, domestic violence, subordination and all other forms of human rights abuses and violation women and girls confront cannot be addressed adequately.

Only women themselves can proponent for their rights, progress and development, in this wise, it is the role of a Correspondence to create awareness, sensitize and educate on societal ills and irregularities pertaining to gender issues; by exposing the problems, examine and scrutinizing efforts and policies towards gender equality and other social concerns.

The media I consider provides the ability and opportunity to be above my circumstances and not under my circumstances. There is a big difference from being under your circumstances and above your circumstances, because when you are under your circumstances you only revolve in doing what your circumstances allows you to do, limiting you where your circumstances take you. When you are over your circumstances, aspirations, vision, struggles, prospects, expectations, you have rulership and authority in effect can now dictate what you will and will not do to accomplish your mission, aims and objective.

Beside, it is not just raising my voice, but how loud is my voice, where and for who I am sounding my voice, what kind of message is my voice conveying and what is the expected outcome and benefit? – ‘outreach’.
Communication is an impressive and intriguing phenomenon and can be transmitted in different forms – sign, words, facial and general body expression and gesture. But when there is communication breakdown and the intended audience is not able to captivate, understand or receive the information disseminated, then there is a problem and that denotes failure. This is an indication that I need to exploit the available means of mass communication to reach out.

The questions posed in this assignment are pertinent. Nonetheless, in my opinion, World Pulse supply that platform or base and equip me with the tools to raise my voice as louder an wider as possible and connect with peers from all walks of life around the world so that together we can speak with one voice and the echoes of our voices would radiate power and make an impact.

Even so, no one knows it all thus with exchange of ideas, opinions, resources and solutions we can borrow, adopt and adapt possible solutions and apply in our own setting all for the general interest of human rights and justice.