gender criteria for media coverage and has had several articles and adverts removed. • In Malawi the fledgling regulator has used the opportunity to test the complaints mechanism, gender is being mainstreamed in their criteria. • In South Africa many community groups have begun to raise complaints and alerts. Below are some examples of alerts and complaints processed in 2007: Botswana Alert 14 June 2007 Cartoon demeans women aspiring for leadership positions The GEMSA Botswana Chapter and the Botswana Media Women Association (BOMWA) have noted with alarm the cartoon that appeared in the Monitor Newspaper of May 28, 2007. The cartoon, titled BNF Congress, supposedly depicted the Botswana National Front aspirant for Party Presidency, Kathleen Letshabo, at its Congress being castrated and bleeding. GEMSA and BOMWA are deeply disturbed by the cartoon, which they find in bad taste, and more importantly, displays the insensitivity on the part of the cartoonist and Mmegi newspaper in which it is published. The message implied by the cartoon has the effect of degrading and ridiculing women who aspire for leadership positions in the political arena. The depiction of the cartoon defeats the purpose of democracy that in every election, there are winners and losers, and Letshabo is not immune to a defeat of this nature. In Botswana, male candidates have lost in similar circumstances, but they have not been shown as ‘bleeding bulls being castrated’. The cartoon did not only insult Letshabo but also showed little regard for all women that have ambitions to aspire for leadership positions in both the political realm and any sector of the economy. We wish to condemn this in the strongest terms. In this regard, we call upon the leadership of Mmegi to respond to our concern, and in future display more sensitivity in their selection of what to publish. Such a gross violation of the rights and dignity of women cannot be justified on the basis of humour or satire. We further call upon all media organisations, human rights and gender - based organisations to strongly condemn such depiction of female leaders who have the desire to make a contribution to the leadership of the nation. So This Is Democracy? 2007 -11- Media Institute of Southern Africa