UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES

REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN ETHIOPIAN

NATIONAL NEWS MEDIA DECISION-MAKING

BY ABEBECH WOLDE I ~ !

JULY, 2007

ADDIS ABABA REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN ETHIOPIAN

NATIONAL NEWS MEDIA DECISION-MAKING

A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE INSTITUTION OF GENDER

STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE

REQUIRMENTS

FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTERS OF ART IN GENDER

STUDIES

BY ABEBECH WOLDE

JULY, 2007

ADDIS ABABA ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES INSTITUTE OF GENDER STUDIES

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Lvr--.' ~~ Od- 1b,l ({IV] Acknowledgements

Many people have assisted me while I conducted this study. My foremost appreciation goes to my advisor Dr. Mulumebet Zenebe for her thorough supervision, guidance and constructive comments beginning from the writing of the proposal to the completion of the study.

I am also indebted to the participants of the research, without whose cooperation and active participation this thesis couldn't have been realized. I am also indebted to all of my sources at the different media houses.

My husband, Fasika Melesse, and my friend, Seble Bekele, deserve special acknowledgements for editing the thesis and their encouragements.

Dr. Negusie Tefera and W fro Zenebwork Tadesse also deserve appreciation for their guidance when I initially developed the proposal.

I would also like to thank Bethlehem Negash for assisting me III transcribing the data.

I have had hard times in writing this thesis due to my responsibility at the Ethiopian Media Women Association (EMWA). My friends have been giving me emotional comfort in addition to their contributions in ideas and thus, they also deserve special thanks.

I extend my gratitude to EMWA, for giving me the opportunity to locate my vision and widen my understandings of sisterhood. I would also like to thank EMWA staff for sharing my responsibilities when I was conducting the research.

Last but not least I would like to praise God for He has enabled me to accomplish this piece of work. Acronyms

AIDS Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women UNDAW United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women EMWA Ethiopian Media Women Association ENA Ethiopian EPA Ethiopian Press Agency ETV Ethiopian Television FDG Focus Group Discussion GMMP Global Media Monitoring Project HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus MCC Media Communication Center NAP-EG National Action Plan for Gender Equality SNNPS Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' State UNESCO United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization WIC Walta Information Center

II Table of Contents

Page

Acknowledgements ...... I Acronyms ...... 11 Tables of contents ...... III List of tables IV List of appendices ...... V Abstract ...... VI

CHAPTER ONE - INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background of the study...... 1 1.2 Statement of the problem ...... 3 1.3 Objectives of the study...... 4 104 Theoretical framework ...... 5 104.1 Patriarchy ...... 6 104.2 Re-conceptualizing gender ...... 6 104.3 The theory of gendered organization ...... 7 1.5 Significance of the study ...... 9 1.6 Limitations of the study...... 10 1. 7 Organization of the study ...... 10

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ...... 11 2.1 Discrimination in employment and promotion ...... 11 2 .2