Alert and Complaint Project By Kubi Rama CEO, Gender and Media Southern Africa, GEMSA. The aim of this project is to train GEMSA country chapters and members of the public to raise regular alerts and to lodge complaints on gender insensitive media coverage. In 2007 GEMSA country representatives and regulatory authorities met to discuss how to mainstream gender in media, communications and ICT laws, regulations and policies. During this process it became evident that there is little public awareness about media regulatory authorities and what their role is. The project raised awareness with members of the public in each country on the role and function of the media regulatory authorities and facilitated a process of submitting complaints. In line with work GEMSA has been doing with regulatory authorities and the regular monitoring of the media GEMSA country chapters need to be trained to raise alerts and lodge complaints on gender insensitive media coverage. This project linked with the discussions that occurred at the second Gender and Media Summit in September 2006 on the need to develop a more critical audience. Media regulatory authorities in the region have demonstrated the willingness to mainstream gender in their structures and in the provisions of the laws, regulations and policies. However, it is evident that these structures are distant from media consumers. Media consumers are often unaware that these structures exist and how they can be used. WHO IS GEMSA? GEMSA Network is an umbrella organisation of individual and institutions who work to promote gender equality in and through the media. Members include the Media Institute of Southern Africa and its 11 country chapters; Gender Links and affiliated gender and media networks in eight countries; the Federation of African Media Women and country affiliates; editors forums; media training institutions; media NGOs including the media monitoring projects in the region; NGOs that promote gender justice and media practitioners. www.gemsa.org.za So This Is Democracy? 2007 This project worked from the premise that one way of raising awareness about these structures is to raise alerts and take complaints to regulatory authorities on gender insensitive media coverage and to publicise these through the network, its membership and the media. Four alerts and four complaints were raised in six countries. Regular workshops were held in six countries with the average attendance of 20 people per workshop. Results The alerts and complaints raised in country have assisted making regulatory authorities include gender in their complaints criteria. Specifics include the following: • The Mozambican Higher Council for Communication has initiated a process to develop a regulatory framework based on the alerts and complaints raised. They have GEMSA Mozambique in a reference to develop the regulatory framework. • Mauritius has raised and had many adverts and articles removed. Their initiatives have resulted in the Advertising Standards Authority developing a gender policy (a partnership with Gender Links). • MECOZ, the Zambian regulator is now developing -10- Media Institute of Southern Africa