1. Campaign Background
The Serious Citizens Interactive Radio Campaign (Part 2) focused on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Uganda. It was implemented from July to September 2022 by Trac FM through a series of interactive radio talk shows and SMS polls across 9 radio stations. The campaign reached 134 districts and garnered over 43,000 citizen responses to four targeted poll questions. The approach fostered open dialogue around GBV by integrating real-time citizen feedback into public discourse, empowering marginalized voices, and challenging harmful social norms linked to gender inequality.
2. Partners and Scope
The campaign was led by Trac FM in partnership with:
- Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU) – Co-developed poll content, contributed talk show guests, and spearheaded data dissemination.
- Uganda Women’s Network (UWONET) – Contributed thematic input for the Advocacy Campaign Plan.
- Academic Institutions – Including University College London (UCL), Mbarara University of Science and Technology, and the International University of East Africa (IUEA), provided research and will conduct follow-up qualitative studies.
- Development Partners – Such as the Belgian Embassy, Enabel, Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, and the World Bank shared relevant programmatic context and informed future engagement strategies.
Each partner contributed to content creation, research, strategic dissemination, and data-driven advocacy. The campaign targeted both rural and urban populations and reached listeners through popular local-language radio programs.
3. Objective and Impact
Objective:
To generate public dialogue and collect actionable citizen perspectives on GBV, with the goal of influencing policies, programs, and cultural norms through data-driven advocacy.
Impact Highlights:
- Public Engagement: 43,221 poll responses and 36 talk shows were conducted, with 75% male and 25% female respondents, and 59% from rural areas.
- Key Findings:
- Bride price reinforces disempowerment and normalizes domestic violence.
- GBV is exacerbated by poverty, alcohol abuse, and rigid gender expectations.
- A majority of male respondents felt societal pressure to fulfill provider roles, often leading to stress-induced violence.
- Alcohol abuse was most commonly linked to family-related stress.
- Policy Influence: Poll data was synthesized into infographics and policy briefs, and shared via social media and analysis sessions with stakeholders.
- Cultural Insight: The campaign challenged perceptions of masculinity, exposed the normalization of violence, and revealed gaps in GBV reporting mechanisms.
This participatory, media-driven approach laid the foundation for deeper community engagement and informed advocacy around GBV in Uganda.
Infographics
