Local Language Radio and Human Rights Awareness in Rural Kenya: a Study of Mulembe Fm in Emuhaya Sub-county, Western Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to appraise local language radio in human rights awareness and education in rural Kenya focusing on Mulembe FM’s Omuhabini programme. The specific objectives were; to explore the aspects of human rights that Mulembe FM’s Omuhabini programme educates on, to examine how Mulembe FM’s Omuhabini programme educates targeted audiences on human rights in Emuhaya Sub-County, to assess the factors that hinder effectiveness of Omuhabini programme in relaying information on human rights education in Emuhaya Sub-county, to establish the role of the audience in promoting the effectiveness of Omuhabini programme. Eighteen listeners were selected; the first nine were selected using convenience sampling while the remaining were selected through snowball technique. Additionally, Purposive sampling technique was used to select three participants for key informant interviews. These key informants included the programme presenter, the producer and the station manager. The eighteen listeners formed participants of the two focus group discussions comprising of nine participants per group. The study adopted qualitative methods to collect data through focus group discussions and face to face interviews. The study was anchored on framing theory, human rights approach to development and participatory communication approach. The study found that Omuhabini programme addresses gender-based violence issues such as wife battering and sexual abuse, social insecurity, protecting the rights of children around child labour and child abuse and corruption alongside awareness and education. Findings also revealed, Omuhabini programme was indeed effective in awareness creation, promoting the welfare of the society as well as giving a voice to the vulnerable and marginalised groups in the society including women and children, and that a positive change was being experienced on perceptions and reporting of issues related to human rights. The study also found that Omuhabini programme face several challenges including employee training and capacity issues to effectively air content on human rights issues, censorship, and difficulties in handling complacency and change resistance. There was also a challenge with quality of local content production which was found to be still lagging with a decline in listener and community involvement in the programme equally creating a challenge in the effectiveness of the programme. The study recommends that more programmes especially on the everemerging issues of post-election violence and electoral fraud that equally compromises human rights issues would be helpful. Further, the study recommends that more airtimes be allocated to such programmes that promote the welfare of the society as Omuhabini programme to enhance reach and content coverage and that local experts on human rights be invited to the show to eliminate issues of language barrier. Finally, this study recommends a replication of the same study within an urban setup particularly in informal settlements to establish the role of radio on creating awareness on human rights.