UNESCO, University of Hyderabad push gender equality via community radio
Hyderabad: The role of community radio in empowering men and boys as allies in advancing gender equality was the focus of the recent workshop, ‘Transforming MENtalities: Engaging Men and Boys through Community Radio’, co-organized by UNESCO’s South Asia Regional Office, New Delhi, and the UNESCO Chair on Community Media at the University of Hyderabad’s Department of Communication, with technical support from the International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW).
The workshop aimed to deepen the understanding of masculinities and encourage community radio stations to develop preliminary ideas for a four-episode radio series addressing masculinities.
Discussions centered on deconstructing masculinity through the lenses of patriarchy, gender roles, and social norms. The workshop sought to move beyond the usual male-female binaries by exploring masculinities from a more nuanced perspective. “Discussions on gender tend to be about women, but today we talk about men and others as well,” said Dr. Shraddha Chickerur, National Programme Officer, Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia.
The session on ‘Gender and Masculinity’, led by Sapna Kedia, encouraged participants to brainstorm ideas for radio programs featuring men in their lives. Sapna Kedia explained that patriarchy places pressures on men while also granting them privileges, and identified three conditions that sustain patriarchy: land rights, procreation, and production.
In the session titled ‘Masculinities in Our Daily Lives’, Dr. Ravi Verma highlighted different forms of masculinities and their influence on everyday experiences. He stressed the importance of moving beyond simplistic hero-villain narratives in radio programs, encouraging more layered and realistic portrayals. “The most critical part of working with men and changing their ideas of masculinities is through fatherhood. You must work with fathers of infants, adolescents, and adult men on a continuum,” said Dr. Verma, Executive Director and Board Member, ICRW Asia.
Participants engaged in group discussions during the ‘From Idea to Episode’ session, where they proposed themes, characters, local stories, and messages for their radio programs. Research scholars Treesa Reena John, Vamsi Krishna Pothuru, and Adrita Roy facilitated the discussions, urging participants to focus on observation and self-reflection in creating content. Mahesh Jagtap, Producer at Vidyavani 107.4 FM, shared a personal insight, “I realised that my son respects me more than his mother because I earn and fulfill all his needs, and I feel that is wrong.”
Other participants highlighted that men are also affected by patriarchy and that conversations about masculinity should start at a young age. Bandana Mondal from Nityananda Janavani noted that men are survivors of patriarchy, while Arushi from Radio Madhuban called for early discussions on masculinity.
The workshop included 17 participants from nine community radio stations across India, Nityananda Janavani (West Bengal), Radio Mattoli (Kerala), Radio Madhuban (Rajasthan), Waqt Ki Awaaz (Uttar Pradesh), Rudi no Radio (Gujarat), Vayalaga Vanoli (Tamil Nadu), Gurgaon Ki Awaaz (Haryana), Radio Bundelkhand (Madhya Pradesh), and Vidyavani (Maharashtra).
Sessions were facilitated by Sapna Kedia and Dr. Ravi Verma (ICRW), and Dr. Shraddha Chickerur (UNESCO), with coordination by Professors Vinod Pavarala, Kanchan K. Malik, and Vasuki Belavadi from the UNESCO Chair on Community Media at the University of Hyderabad.
