To address the issues faced by women in India, UNESCO New Delhi joined hands with UN Women and Seeking Modern Applications for Real Transformation (SMART) to provide timely information on pressing issues through creative community radio programming.
The nine-month-long project titled "Awareness raising and capacity-building on domestic violence during COVID-19 pandemic" aimed at addressing three important issues in the recent aftermath of the first wave of the pandemic:
- Awareness raising on the COVID-19 related information
- Gender-related violence
- Women health and nutrition
The programmes were broadcasted on SMART supported community radio station Radio Mewat. Radio Mewat is heard by approximately 0.7 million people across 180 villages in Haryana's Nuh district. Nuh in Mewat has been categorized by the government of India as the most backward district in the country.
The intervention adopted a multi-pronged approach focussing not only on health but social, political and economic sustenance. At a time when resources were scarce, and the mental and social well-being of people was almost irreparable, the intervention not only promoted COVID-safe behaviour but also addressed vaccine hesitancy, provided emotional and nutritional support, built existing skills for sustainable livelihoods, but most of all gave hope and belief to the communities that it is possible to rebuild lives!
Archana Kapoor, Radio Mewat
Bridging the information divide
As part of the project, UNESCO has supported the broadcast of 140 bulletins on COVID-related information. This included content on facts, transmission, symptoms, preventive measures, dos and don'ts, misinformation, and stigmatization. Radio Mewat also shared the government advisories in the local dialect.
The first time I learned about COVID was through Radio Mewat. Since then, I have been following every precaution and paying attention to the government advisories broadcast on the channel. I never step out without wearing a mask. Once, I was laughed at by a close friend for wearing a mask. He called me a fool and said that COVID is only a myth. I warned him not to take the pandemic so lightly and invited him to my tailoring shop. Next afternoon when he came, I tuned in Radio Mewat and made him listen to the COVID bulletin. After hearing about the rising cases and government advisories, he has also started following all precautions.
Rambeer, a regular listener from Bibipur village
Battling gender-based violence, taking toll of women's health
A prolonged lockdown caused by the pandemic also brought the spotlight on a very important issue of domestic violence against women. Within a fortnight of the first phase of the lockdown in India, the National Commission for Women (NCW) reported a 100 per cent rise in complaints of violence against women.
In a bid to stir conversation in this direction, Radio Mewat did a sustained campaign called Salaamat Mewat Sashakt Mewat (safe Mewat, empowered Mewat). Under the campaign a total of 300 programmes were broadcasted, including: 140 COVID information bulletins, 72 episodes on domestic violence, and 36 episodes on women's health and nutrition.
During the project period, over 150 cases of violence were registered with the station.
The episodes have not only been encouraging but have also given necessary information as to what can a woman do if she is a victim of domestic violence. I even learnt about the One Stop Centre and that we have one in Mewat. Now we are aware of our legal rights too,
Sarita, a listener from Nangli village
I learnt the basics of antenatal care through the episodes. I learnt how to take care of pregnant women in the house, which is even more important during a pandemic,
Another listener Nirvati from Muradbas village
As part of a UNESCO supported rapid response programme, following the first wave of COVID -19 in the country, Radio Mewat also played a huge role in debunking misinformation on covid. The station aired a show called Corona se Jung, Radio Mewat ke Sang (Fight the battle against corona with Radio Mewat) with an aim to provide critical information to the listeners and serve as a key link between the local administration and its listeners.
UNESCO's Media Development Indicators highlight that while the media is a platform for democratic discourse, the proximity of community media to citizens often allows to reflect social diversity more comprehensively than the mainstream media. Thus, the community media has emerged as an essential service in allaying fears and disseminating credible COVID-related information.
