DZIMWE COMMUNITY RADIO STATION

HIV/AIDS AND GENDER POLICY AT WORKPLACE

INTRODUCTION

Dzimwe Community Radio station is the first established Community Radio to focus on a number of issues that impact on development to a community in Malawi. It was established in 1998 and is located in the NankumbaPeninsula in Mangochi District. The Radio was established to create a forum for discussing developmental issues and sought to empower communities to development.

Dzimwe Community Radio provides a platform for discussing issues that overlooked the role of women in playing a more active role in the development of their communities.

Dzimwe Community Radio is operated by a Board of Directors which is composed of educationists, social workers, businessmen and officers from natural resource management sectors. The board of trustee chaired by Traditional Authority Nankumba is composed of a Group Village Headmen and few retired citizens of the District.

HIV/AIDS is among the issues that the radio station addresses within the production of programmes. The development of any community is affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and therefore HIV/AIDS has to be addressed in order for any progress in every area of development to be made.

It is recognised that there is still discrimination and stigma attached to HIV/AIDS and people do not readily accept that they are part of the solution in stopping the pandemic. To this end, the radio station acknowledges the importance of mainstreaming HIV/AIDS prevention and mitigation messages in order to reach the targeted community.

DZIMWE COMMUNITY RADIO STATION GOALS

The goal of the Radio is to enhance better life for Malawian people of Mangochi and the surrounding Districts.

Dzimwe Community Radio understands its role to take the lead in empowering decision making and taking positive action towards issues that affect livelihood. Silence in family issues that is contributing to power imbalances between partners is seemingly exposing women to a higher risk of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. It is our responsibility as a Radio Station to put in place, maintain and sustain goalposts that are gender aware and embracing updated life experiences.

PREAMBLE

The radio staff and volunteers, have a responsibility to continue to keep HIV/AIDS in the forefront.

Wearing the hat of celebrities in interacting with the community in their day to day accomplishments, staff can become vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.

The Executive Board and Management Staff of Dzimwe Community Radio realise the importance of having an HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy that is also gender sensitive to guide, control and regulate support to the institutions' staff.

As a community radio station, we recognise the capacity building processes that are achieved with time to our staff and cannot afford to lose our scarce human resource by being unprepared to mitigate any effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in our organisation.

We create an alert situation by putting in place our legitimate policy that is a guideline for Dzimwe Radio Station to follow when dealing with HIV/AIDS in our programming or with our staff.

This approach is going to balance our radio programming in ensuring that Gender and HIV/AIDS programs are wisely aired in a recommended proportion. The policy here is imbedded in our radio slot programming. This shall be achieved in community news, radio jingles and in main all the main programs.

We also have a clear insight on the importance of creating a good environment for our staff which is infected or affected by the pandemic to be free in seeking counsel and support.

While an available HIV/AIDS workplace policy shall create a social platform for the affected and infected staff and improve staff output levels, we intend to make our staff get used to the approaches, hence we will seek to internalise their encounters with the community whether in their program presentation or in personal visit to communities.

POLICY FRAMEWORK

This policy document is guided by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Code of conduct on HIV/AIDS, the SADC declaration on HIV/AIDS, the Southern Africa Editors' Forum, Principles of Ethical Reporting on HIV/AIDS and Gender and the Malawi National HIV/AIDS Policy.

POLICY STATEMENT

Dzimwe Community Radio realises its role in acting as a change agent to the community. HIV/AIDS is impacting on social-economic development of the entire Malawi and Mangochi District in particular.

This policy document is therefore applicable to the Management, Board, Staff and all volunteers of Institution in order to ensure a working environment that is free from discrimination against those that are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS pandemic.

The policy document shall also be used to review and re-align radio programming in a way that compliments the developed policy to maintain a justifiable number of good quality programs for the benefit of the entire community.

POLICY FRAMEWORK AND WORKPLACE THEMES

1. Confidentiality

1.1The institution shall in no way compel its members of staff to disclose their sero status. Apart from an effort to create and maintain a free environment for all players, any member of staff will be free to disclose their HIV status.

1.2Having recognised the nature of HIV/AIDS, the institution shall ensure that rights to privacy and dignity are maintained and respected by all employees who choose not to disclose or to those who have disclosed their sero status.

1.3A well disciplined mature person who is also responsible for staff welfare shall take the responsibility of wisely providing counselling and support services to members who shall benefit from such. The Institutions' management shall be watchful of the implementation process in making sure that privacy is maintained at all cost.

2.Rights of employees with HIV

2.1The institution shall not tolerate stigma and discriminatory of any member of staff or stakeholder with HIV/AIDS. This statement shall be included in the terms and condition of service of staff and appropriate action shall be taken on those found guilty of such offence.

2.2Any employee who refuses, or indicates any reluctance to work with any staff or stakeholder who is infected shall be charged with an offence of breaching the terms and condition of service and legitimate action shall be applied to the offender.

2.3The institution realises that being unable to take action against another employee who shall be guilty of harassing, victimising or discriminates fellow employee with HIV/AIDS shall be denying protection of the rights of the offended employee. Reasonable assistance shall be provided to such offended individual to clear his/her conscience.

3. HIV Testing and Counselling

3.1No requirement of HIV testing results shall be requested from staff whether already employed or from new applicants. This shall in no way be used as a basis for qualifying staff for promotion, loans or undertaking further studies

3.2The institution shall promote and facilitate HIV testing and counselling to staff who may wish to know their status in a manner that is legitimate, confidential and comfortable.

3.1The Institution shall lead in facilitating post-testing counselling and support to all staff including their families that shall be found to be affected or infected by the pandemic.

  1. HIV/AIDS and Gender at Workplace

Recognising gender gaps in society where women are mostly victims of sexual harassment and that they face a higher impact of HIV/AIDS such as stigma and discrimination, the Dzimwe Community Radio shall:

Sexual violence or harassment among staff be treated as a breach of the terms and condition of service. In order to avoid harassment being carried out by top Managers and where involved juniors may feel insecure, the board of Directors shall continue to oversee the entire staff welfare and make sure that managers are not violating their responsibility.

Monitor gender imbalance issues and assist to lodge complaints that may be received without hindrances to a neutral court-room.

Consider that the rights of women are observed and respected as regards to equal access to responsibility with men, occupational benefits, remuneration, maternity and paternity leave etc.

Increase radio awareness on any perceived gender-gap to the community to make sure that people are aware of any malpractice and are sensitive to positive approaches.

  1. Information, Education and Communication Strategies.

Dzimwe Community Radio realises its role of being a change agent for the Community. This therefore invites the need for being a model to the messages it delivers. To ensure that this is respected, the radio shall:

Review and re-align its programming to accommodate an increased number of high quality programs with HIV/AIDS messages providing appropriate, accurate and relevant information to the community.

Provide information thought its programmes that will facilitate in exploring, recognising and advocating alternative livelihood strategies to groups that are deemed vulnerable to HIV/AIDS for them to stay negative or for them to sustain their status once found positive.

Source training opportunities that will perfect the deliverance of HIV/AIDS radio programs and news presentation process.

Include discussion on HIV/AIDS program in institutional fortnight Monday staff meetings to share experiences and planning.

6. HIV/AIDS Prevention at the Workplace

This policy aims to ensure a workplace that is free of discrimination against those living with HIV as well as ensuring an increase in both the quantity and quality of coverage on this topic in the news

The policy shall be in line with the national and international policies on HIV and AIDS and women to which Malawi is a signatory to.

In order to help mitigate the effects of HIV and AIDS and to play a part in reducing any further infections among staff Dzimwe Community Radio Station will;

6.1Ensuring that information on HIV/AIDS and condoms are within reach to all members of staff to facilitate informed choices and protection.

6.2 Sourcing training for staff in awareness on the occupational transmission of HIV/AIDS and prevention.

6.3 Identifying a mature member of the organisation who will be charged with the responsibility of staff welfare, advising and encouraging voluntary counselling and testing and the support of those affected or infected with HIV/AIDS. Where possible, provide training for such person in order for staff to receive maximum benefit from the support system.

6.4Respect and observe staff rights to privacy of their status.

7. Working environment

7.1Develop the spirit of understanding and recognition to ones' social problem

7.2Develop positive thinking to encourage partial disclosure and intimacy while ensuring confidentiality of the member of staff in a closed discussion with the responsible welfare staff.

7.3Ensure that working conditions are given to members of staff that are positive in order for them to provide time to receive care and support.

8.Care, Treatment and Support.

8.1The Institution shall facilitate care, treatment and support to staff with HIV/AIDS with love, respect and dignity.

8.2Ensure that members of staff requiring antiretroviral therapy (ARVs) shall be assisted by the organization to access the national health system for ARV benefit

8.3Use the terms and condition of service of employees infected to facilitate their claims for time off, sick leave and family responsibility leave.

8.4Provide recommended accommodation or resolve the issue of poor performance when staff are unable to work in respect to laid down working conditions that respond to change of health status of any staff with HIV/AIDS.

EDITORIAL PRACTICE

The importance of continued coverage of the pandemic is essential to stop any further infections of HIV and AIDS. In line with this, Dzimwe Community Radio Station will endeavor to continue to provide accurate and essential information to the public in the following ways

9. Language

9.1Radio programs or discussion between members of staff shall avoid language that promotes stigma and discrimination. Action will be taken to make staff aware of the implications of the misuse of language.

9.2Training for staff to use language that is prescribed and acceptable by South African Editors Forum (SAEF) Principles of Ethical Reporting shall be utilised.

9.3The Institution shall not condone portraying the affected and infected as passive or victims of circumstances. The radio, through its programs and adverts shall strive to avoid the use of language that removes dignity and respect of people living with HIV/AIDS.

9.4Language that promotes hype and sensationalism is not acceptable.

Physical descriptions that do not in any way enhance the story will be avoided. Journalists will be encouraged to use language that is acceptable and has a proper or direct bearing on the story

9.5Aim to ensure that there is equal representation in the news of women

and men living with HIV/AIDS.

10On-the-job experience

10.1Embarkon an initiative to improve reporting on HIV/AIDS by involving all editors and all journalists in basic training to report on the subject

10.2Encourage all journalists to seek the views of those affected and infected by HIV and AIDS, paying particular attention to the views of women.

10.3Journalist will be encouraged to look beyond the event in order to produce a more realist programme or article on HIV/AIDS.

11. Capacity building

11.1In addition to knowledge acquired by reporters serving on the beat, the Head of News will source from partners and organize special seminars and briefing sessions, and avail reporters of training opportunities to broaden their horizons.

11.2Journalists must work at highlighting the gender dimensions of the pandemic.

11.3 The journalist will ensure that people living with HIV and AIDS are consulted in order to have a more fact-based story with a human face.

11.4 Dzimwe Community Radio Station will seek to give fair and equal space to voices that are not heard e.g. women, children and the disadvantage, and those living with HIV and AIDS.

11.5 Dzimwe Community Radio Station will seek training for editors and journalist on awareness and sensitivity in all reporting as a standard ethics requirements.

11.6 Dzimwe Community Radio Station will aim to accord journalist living with or directly affected by HIV the opportunity to report on the pandemic in a pro-active manner. A personal interest in the subject will make a journalist dig deeper and give the story a human face.

11.7 The HIV and AIDS beat will be accorded the same status as other beats. In addition, all journalists will be expected to have a basic knowledge on HIV/AIDS to cover their regular beat. Streamlining shall be the essence of reportage or programming and specialization will be encouraged.

12. Ethical principles

12.1 The radio station will strive to ensure that stories on HIV and AIDS conform to the ethical principles of the media profession and those developed and adopted by the Southern African Editors' Forum (SAEF).

13. Advertising

13.1The radio shall not accept any claim of complete cure of HIV and AIDS from any advertiser as this contravenes ethical standards and requires medical clarification regarding the claimed cure of AIDS. A non confrontational resolution shall be arrived at with the advertiser regarding the nature and messaging of the advert.

13.2Compromise and consistency to the standards of marketing and editorial shall be observed at all cost.

14.MONITORING AND EVALUATION

As this policy has been developed alongside the Institutions' Strategic Planning for 2008-2011 management terms, the contents of the framework are imbedded into the plan affording easier access to compliance to this policy.

As we may still need to assess our success, the policy shall therefore be reviewed annually and implementation process reported monthly to the Executive Board by the Management Team. This shall assist with budgeting and allocation of supportive resources to the institution for implementation.

It is important to also mention that this policy shall be accommodative to other relevant organisational policies mentioned earlier in this document.

15.DECLARATION

The Institutional Directorate and Management Staff representatives undersigned declare that this policy is hereby adopted by Dzimwe Community Radio Station this day of ______the Month of ______2008.

Signature:______

Name:T.A Nankumba

Designation: PRESIDENT

BOARD OF TRUSTEE

Signature:______

Name:F. Likishoni

Designation: EXECUTIVE CHAIRPERSON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Signature:______

Name:Miss. Hilda Jambo

Designation: STATION MANAGERESS