BY INNOCENT KIIZA
Dorcus Masika once dreamed of becoming a sports analyst, driven by her passion for sports and a desire to break barriers in a field where few women tread.
Her journey, however, took a painful turn when her aspirations were cut short by the very people she looked up to for mentorship and guidance.
Instead of support, she encountered harassment from her bosses, who began to make inappropriate advances, pressuring her for sexual favours in exchange for career advancement.
Masika, determined to maintain her integrity, repeatedly rejected these advances. But her refusal came at a cost; her workplace became increasingly hostile, and her opportunities began to vanish.
She soon found herself cornered in a profession she once loved, left with no choice but to step away.
Now, as she looks to open a small salon to make ends meet, she recalls how her dreams were shattered. “They told me that if I did not impress my boss sexually, I would not have a job anymore. I did not take it seriously until one day when my sports programme on radio was stopped without notice,” Masika says with a heavy heart.
Like many other female journalists, Masika did not report the harassment to anyone. Instead, she shared her experiences with fellow female journalists who had gone through similar situations. They advised her to protect herself, even if it meant walking away from her dream.
Sexual harassment is a hidden but pervasive issue keeping many female journalists off the frontlines. The Uganda press freedom report sparked a conversation about safety, press freedom, and gender equity in media.
According to the Uganda Press Freedom Report, 10.9% of female journalists were abused in 2020, highlighting the persistent risks female reporters face.
Additionally, a recent survey by ICFJ and UNESCO revealed that 73% of female journalists encounter both online and offline violence while working, underlining a pressing need for action to ensure journalists’ safety.
As a result, many opt for background roles, where the risks of harassment seem lower than in the field.
Josephine Nyamicu, a journalist in Rwenzori, reveals that harassment from media managers, editors, and colleagues is widespread.
“I have faced the challenge of missing out on career opportunities, such as training because I did not play along,” she says.
She recalls one distressing incident: “A source invited me to his office under the pretext of giving me a story. But when I got there, it turned into a sexual proposition, and I was threatened. He said if I spoke about it, I would lose my job.”
Evelyn Kabugho, a journalist at a local media house in south-western Uganda reveals that she has been harassed by sources, including a district official, who threatened to ruin her career if she continued working with certain individuals. “It is not just the sources. Even male colleagues harass female journalists, pushing many to leave the profession,” Kabugho says.
Driven away by fear
She has seen how harassment has made female journalists reluctant to cover news from the frontline.
During the September 27 World Tourism Day celebrations in Kasese this year, for example, out of 10 journalists covering the event, only two were women.
At the recent 58th coronation of Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere, the King of the Rwenzururu Kingdom, only one female journalist from Salt TV was among the 15 reporters covering the historic event.
When asked if they had reported these cases, both Kabugho and Nyamicu admitthey did not. “We are afraid of losing our jobs,” Nyamicu says.
“The harassers are often bosses or senior officers who have the power to influence station management.”Kabugho shares a similarly disheartening experience.
When she tried to report the harassment, her boss retorted, “Who sent you there?” Feeling humiliated, she decided to drop the matter.
“It affects us mentally and physically,” she explains, adding that female journalists often share their experiences to protect one another. “We try to avoid working alone in the field to minimise the risks.”
Institutional support
Journalists in Kasese have found support through the local umbrella organization for journalists, Umbrella for Journalists (UJK) and other civic organizations, where they share their struggles and brainstorm ways to protect them.
Owen Alton Baluku, an editor at Light FM, acknowledges the unfortunate truth about harassment faced by female journalists not only from their supervisors but also from the sources they rely on for stories.
However, he observes that, at Light FM, no cases of sexual harassment have been reported so far.
Baluku attributes this, in part, to the station’s few female journalists and to the protective measures that Light FM enforces based on values derived from the SDA Church, ensuring a safe and respectful environment.
While harassment from supervisors is often highlighted, Baluku points out that it does not end there. In many cases, sources become perpetrators, taking advantage of female journalists during field assignments.
“Journalists, even when they report the facts, sometimes face bias-based harassment during the political season,” he explains.
Politicians can become hostile simply because the story does not favour them.”
Baluku recalls a situation where a female reporter at Light FM was harassed by local politicians but he managed to de-escalate the tension, restoring harmony and protecting the reporter.
To safeguard their team, Light FM has policies inspired by SDA beliefs that emphasize professionalism and respect, extending even beyond the workplace.
For instance, Light FM journalists are discouraged from attending high-risk settings such as bars and concerts to minimise potential dangers, even though these events can be news sources.
Additionally, the editorial team provides training on respectful communication with sources, encouraging staff to conduct themselves professionally at all times.
Baluku highlights one instance where a female reporter faced issues with a source’s wife, after she became suspicious because of the reporter’s frequent work-related calls to her husband.
Although this incident was not formally reported, it led to management reinforcing guidelines on how to manage communication with sources, ensuring reporters are both respectful and cautious.
Baluku believes that structural changes are needed across the media industry to enhance journalist safety.
He recommends hiring more female journalists to create a stronger, more unified voice against harassment, raising salaries to support journalists financially, and enforcing a standard dress code that encourages professionalism.
In addition, he urges that government policies against sexual harassment be implemented effectively and that media houses adopt and adapt to these policies locally to safeguard female journalists in particular.
In Kasese District, the leadership dynamics of the major media outlets reflect a distinct gender imbalance, particularly within the editorial departments.
The four main radio stations; Light FM, Messiah FM, Guide FM, and UBC Ngeya FM, as well as the prominent online news agency, Rwenzori Daily News, have editorial desks solely managed and deputized by men.
This pattern reveals the male-dominated structure of newsrooms in the region, where men control the narrative and day-to-day editorial decisions.
However, the gender representation at the management level of these radio stations offers a somewhat different perspective. Among the four radio stations, two – Guide FM and UBC Ngeya FM – are led by female managers, while Messiah FM and Light FM are headed by male managers.
This presence of women in upper management indicates a step towards gender balance, although editorial influence remains largely in the hands of men.
The current state of newsroom leadership in Kasese highlights both the challenges and gradual progress in achieving gender equity.
As more women advance into management roles, there is a growing opportunity to diversify perspectives in editorial leadership, which may eventually reshape the newsroom culture in the district.
Dealing with harassment
Carol Beyanga, a former senior journalist at Nation Media Group, said although she has not faced sexual harassment directly from bosses or sources, she has been a target of online harassment. The digital nature of these attacks brought about a sense of isolation, driving her off social media temporarily. Yet, she returned, determined to reclaim her space and continue her work.
“I did not report the incidents,” she explains, “because I did not think I would get help.”
Her experience echoes those of many female colleagues in Uganda, who similarly find reporting harassment challenging, often due to limited support structures.
Harassment has a personal toll, influencing both the mental well-being and the career paths of those affected.
Beyanga copes by turning to close friends and her husband, and she finds strength through prayer. Professionally, she emphasizes the importance of mentorship, saying,
“I have mentors I can confide in and who offer valuable advice.”
She credits her former workplace, Nation Media Group Uganda, for its proactive stance on harassment.
Through sexual harassment training sessions, staff were educated on their rights, reporting mechanisms, and the organization’s policies.
“This was comforting,” she notes, “because we knew we could report somewhere if we faced harassment.”
Beyanga strongly believes in the role of policy: “Policies work if staff know what they are and how they operate.”
She emphasizes the importance of regular education on these policies, counselling services, and disciplinary action against offenders, which can bolster victims’ confidence to report incidents and establish a precedent against harassment.
Reflecting on her observations, Beyanga suggests several underlying causes.
“Male-dominated newsrooms, a lack of clear policies, and a patriarchal society,” she notes, contribute to an environment where harassment can persist.
She also points to the anonymity and accessibility of online platforms, which often embolden individuals to harass females around the clock.
Beyanga advocates for change through collective action, involving both policy shifts and cultural adjustments within the industry.
Key to this transformation is the role of male allies, who can act as supportive figures, accompanying female journalists in challenging situations and discouraging harassment among their peers.
“Male allies can be exemplary,” she says, “by teaching fellow males not to harass women.”
Civic society work
According to Saimon Bikeke, the director of Umbrella for Journalists in Kasese, silence makes it incredibly challenging to track the number of harassment cases.”Despite creating a safe space for women to report such incidents, we hardly receive official complaints,” says the UJK spokesperson.
“Most of the time, female journalists bring it up during workshops or informal discussions, but getting them to file formal reports is difficult,” Bikeke says.
Bikeke recalls the “Protect and Promote Press Freedom” (PPPF) project in 2022/23, where several women openly spoke about their experiences for the first time.
“That project created an opportunity for them to voice their concerns. They felt safe among peers, but once the workshop ended, they went back to their quiet struggles,” he says.
Bikeke says though UJK has tried to provide support, the organisation’s limited resources present a major hurdle.
“We offer counselling through our peer-support network, but legal aid and formal services are beyond our reach,” Bikeke admits.
“We are hoping to partner with other organisations to address this issue in a more structured way,”he added.
Why do cases of harassment go unreported?
The reasons vary. Some female journalists do not fully understand their rights or the legal frameworks available to protect them, Bikeke opines. Others, like Nyamicu, believe that their media houses will not offer immediate remedies.
“We see no point in reporting because nothing changes. Even if policies exist, they are rarely implemented,” she says.
The lack of trust in the system makes it difficult to create lasting change.
A 2021 study by WAN-IFRA Women in News and City, University of London, revealed that nearly half of the women in African newsrooms have experienced some form of sexual harassment.
Despite the scale of the problem, only 30% of these cases were reported to management.
Kabugho notes that most female journalists prefer sharing their experiences privately with each other, brainstorming ways to protect themselves.
“We have learnt not to work alone when we go to the field. It is a small step, but it makes us feel a bit safer,” she explains.
Many female journalists believe that speaking up could result in further victimization or ostracization in the workplace.
In their efforts to tackle the issue, Bikeke says UJK has set up a secure Complaint System Management database. But again, there is a catch:
“We need more information. Without reports, the database remains empty,” Bikeke says.
The system is designed to store complaints confidentially and ensure follow-up, but female journalists are hesitant to use it, mainly because they fear retaliation or do not trust the system to deliver results.
Bikeke says collaboration is the key to progress, according to UJK. “We are actively looking for partnerships with advocacy groups and government bodies,” he explains.
“Through these collaborations, we hope to build capacity for female journalists, helping them learn how to report cases and confront sexual harassment head-on.”
He, however, mentioned that there are broader challenges, too.
“Many media houses do not even have policies on sexual harassment,” Nyamicu points out. “And for those that do, the policies are like white elephants, but never put to use.”This lack of accountability leaves female journalists vulnerable, with little protection or recourse.
Kabugho believes that government intervention is essential.
“The government should enforce strict policies that protect female professionals, not just in media but across all sectors,” she says.
“Media houses also need to implement anti-harassment policies and ensure that complaints are addressed properly,” she added.
Bikeke says raising awareness is crucial. UJK is working to organize seminars and workshops to educate both journalists and the general public about sexual harassment.
“It is not just about telling people what harassment is; it is about empowering them to take action,” says the UJK spokesperson. He is hopeful that with the right support and partnerships, things can change.
Lucy Anyango Ekadu, the president of the Uganda Journalists Unio reveals that in Uganda’s media industry, sexual harassment is not just a persistent issue; it is an institutionalised problem deeply embedded in newsroom culture.
One of the most troubling aspects, Ekadu notes, is that many journalists may not even realise they are experiencing sexual harassment, as the behaviour has become normalised.
During her training sessions, she often finds herself educating journalists that sexual harassment can include inappropriate physical touches in the newsroom – gestures that many had overlooked or dismissed.
When it comes to addressing harassment, Ekadu observes significant shortcomings in disciplinary measures. Victims often find themselves in a labyrinthine process with little clarity on where to report or seek justice.
“If you are a victim of sexual harassment, where do you even start?” she asks, underscoring the absence of clear, accessible paths to redress.
One of the core issues is that many disciplinary committees are male-dominated, leading to biases that favour male colleagues.
In cases where women participate on these panels, Ekadu has noticed that some hesitate to challenge their male counterparts, downplaying incidents or urging victims to “move on” rather than firmly confronting the problem.
This hesitance, she argues, only serves to perpetuate harassment, further normalising unwanted advances and enabling abusers.
Uganda’s economic climate exacerbates the plight of journalists facing harassment. Many are forced to make an impossible choice between keeping their jobs and enduring humiliation, especially in privately-owned media houses where contracts are not consistently provided.
Instead, journalists often operate under the whims of media owners, who make employment decisions based on personal preference rather than professional standards.
Ekadu points out that in some media houses, journalists are threatened with job loss if they do not accept minimal pay or work under exploitative conditions, all under the guise of financial strain from the COVID 19 pandemic.
Ekadu shares that, in several media outlets, employment is granted without contracts, leaving journalists in a precarious position where they are dependent on the goodwill of those who hired them.
This environment encourages a toxic power dynamic, where reporters feel obligated to compromise their values and endure mistreatment for the sake of job security.
Charity Kalebo, the chairperson of the Uganda Media Women’s Association (UMWA), is championing the rights and safety of journalists, especially women. With an unwavering commitment to creating a secure and equitable work environment, Kalebo emphasizes the need for journalists to actively pursue their freedoms and confront the deep-seated issues of sexual harassment in the media industry.
Kalebo believes that for Ugandan journalists to truly thrive in their careers, they must first secure their freedoms.
She encourages journalists to remain steadfast in their fight for dignity and independence within the media field.
“To enjoy their work,” she urges, “Ugandan journalists must continue to fight for their freedom.” This freedom, she explains, extends beyond the press; it includes the right to a safe and respectful work environment.”
In her role as UMWA chairperson, Kalebo has organised multiple training sessions aimed at empowering female journalists with tools to recognise, resist, and report harassment. These sessions, she believes, are key to curbing the vice of sexual harassment that many women encounter in the workplace.
Through these initiatives, Kalebo seeks to break down the barriers that prevent female journalists from achieving their full potential, equipping them to challenge harassment and seek justice without fear of retaliation.
Kalebo’s efforts go beyond individual empowerment. She sees the fight against harassment as essential to fostering peace and security within Uganda’s media landscape.
A free and independent press is essential to maintaining a healthy, informed society. However, when journalists, especially female journalists are silenced by harassment, intimidation, and physical harm, it undermines the public’s right to know.
The absence of these voices in the press limits diverse perspectives, weakens accountability, and facilitates the rise of authoritarian tendencies.
Ensuring the safety and empowerment of women journalists is crucial not just for gender equality but for safeguarding democratic values.
Betty Amongi, Uganda’s Minister of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, strongly urges women to break the silence surrounding harassment, underscoring that real change can only happen when victims come forward.
“Do not keep quiet about sexual harassment of any nature,” she states, emphasizing that raising one’s voice is a crucial step in the fight for safety and respect in the workplace.
Amongi assures women that if they report harassment to the authorities, the government will act to protect them.
However, she recognizes that only when victims are empowered to speak out will the culture of harassment begin to shift.
Amongi’s message is a reminder that for systemic change to take root, women must feel empowered to lead the way.
Her call to action symbolizes a commitment to long-term change, one where women’s voices are heard, respected, and protected.
As Kabugho concludes, “It is one thing to experience harassment, but to be dismissed when you seek help? That was the final blow!”
