OSISA launches Journalism Summer School – applications now open
Deadline: 28 September 2012

OSISA is launching a Journalism Summer School this year for mid-career journalists and media managers. The inaugural JSS will run from the 5th-23rd November and will be hosted by the Polytechnic of Namibia.

The JSS, which is affiliated with UNESCO, was created in response to the multiple challenges confronting journalism and the media in southern Africa today – with the overall objective of improving and strengthening journalism so that it enhances democracy in the region. Targeted at mid-career journalists and media managers in the region, the annual three-week JSS will offer cutting edge courses on a range of topics from ethics to investigative reporting to gender in the newsroom.

The JSS will bring together around 25 journalists and 10 media managers from 10 southern African countries – Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe – for an intensive course that seeks to:
- Strengthen the quality of journalism and contribute toward a more professional media by training journalists and media managers on key thematic areas
-Deepen participants understanding of journalism theory and practice to enable them to critically reflect on the role and implications of their work
-Promote experiential learning when journalists are placed on attachment during the training
-Improve the quality of media management to ensure the viability and sustainability of media organisations; and
-Promote collaboration and joint research among journalism training institutions across the region.

The journalists will attend the full three weeks, while managers will only come in during the final week for specific media management courses. JSS participants should be able to demonstrate:
-Improved knowledge of particular issues examined/taught in each module
-Applied competence in journalism research, including skills in investigative reporting
-Ability to write complex, multi-sourced stories
-Understanding of journalism ethics
-Improved gender awareness and ability to write stories with gender sensitivity
-Critical analysis of news and the newsgathering process; and
-Better understanding of the commercial environment in which the media operates.

The JSS courses will be run by highly experienced journalism educators from across the region and abroad as well as a range of guest lecturers from Namibia. Lectures, group discussions and practical assignments will be key teaching methods. Journalists will be placed on attachment in media houses in the host country for a limited number of days during the course.

Applications are now open. Anyone interested can apply either online here

Work in and for Zimbabwe. Help grow our nation. Check out the vacancies below. If you’d like to receive this sort of information, as well as civic and human rights updates, by email each week drop us a note saying “subscribe” to:   info [at] kubatana [dot] net

Please note that the job vacancies we carry are related to the NGO and civil society sectors only.

Sixteen (16) vacancies: United Methodist Committee on Relief
Deadline: 20 September 2012 (close of business)

The United Methodist Committee on Relief is recruiting for a food aid project in UMP District (Mashonaland East). We require staff with experience in food aid projects and relevant qualifications for the following positions being advertised:

Harare Office
-Human Resources Manager
-Senior Program Manager

Harare Warehouse
-Warehouse Manager

UMP District Office
-Food Security Manager
-Monitoring and Evaluation Officer
-Monitoring and Evaluation Assistant (2)
-Logistics Officer
-Compliance Officer
-Field Officer (6)
-Finance, HR and Admin Officer

How to apply
Interested candidates can request for job description and cover letter format by emailing: adminasst [at] umcor-zimbabwe [dot] org then send the UMCOR cover letter and comprehensive curriculum vitae, together with the names, addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers of three referees to: umpapplications [at] gmail [dot] com

Candidates may apply for a maximum of 2 positions.  Kindly state the position applied for in the subject box.

Information, Campaigns and Advocacy Officer: Women in Politics Support Unit (WiPSU)
Deadline: 21 September 2012

Specific duties
-Ensure that documentation is continuously up-dated regularly and dissemination of information done efficiently and effectively. The documentation section includes the library, and mass media monitoring
-Writing and designing of the WiPSU newsletter, Face book page, twitter and blogs
-Establish a media personnel data base
-Ensure adverts and press statements are sent to the relevant print media houses on time
-Plan and implement the Campaigns of the organization
-To carry out all advocacy initiatives in the organization
-To ensure media presence at all organization’s function and for the beneficiaries
-To assist the Programmes Manager in proposal writing for the Information, Campaigns and advocacy programme
-To plan and budget for the programme
-To prepare and present an annual work plan, monthly work plan and weekly plan to ensure the effective and efficient smooth running of the programme
-To identify relevant and efficient services providers for all necessary color printing jobs
-To compile monthly reports on the programme to submit to the Programmes Manager
-To coordinate and up-date the website regularly
-To network and collaborate with relevant women’s groups/organizations, NGOs and work closely with them in connection with Information sharing and documentation
-Any other duties delegated by the Programmes Manager and the  Director

Qualifications and skills
-A Diploma or Degree in ICT/Journalism
-Experience in journalism a must
-Must be well conversant in gender and feminist issues
-Good communication skills and well conversant in Shona/Ndebele
-Good Computer skills a must
-Must be familiar with the contents of BPFA, CEDAW, AU Protocol, SADC declaration on Gender and Development of 1997, Section 23 of the Zimbabwe Constitution.

Interested applicants must submit a motivational letter and current CV to the Women in Politics Support Unit, at no. 43 Dan Judson Road, Milton Park or email to: wipsuadmin [at] gmail [dot] com or wipsudirector [at] gmail [dot] com

Qualified female applicants are encouraged to apply.

Branch Secretary: Zimbabwe National Council of YMCA
Deadline: 21 September 2012

Work Base: Harare

Zimbabwe National Council of the Young Men’s Christian association looking for Harare Branch General Secretary. A relevant Bachelors’ Degree /Diploma from a recognized institution preferably majored in Social Sciences, Qualification in Youth Work, Business Studies, Project Management, Counselling and Gender Studies will boost the candidate’s chances. The candidate should be between the ages of 24 – 30 years with experience.

The purpose of the job is to manage day-to-day activities of the branch in consultation with the Branch Executive Committee paying attention to recruitment of new members and project proposals (fund raising activities).

Applicants from suitably qualified candidates should be sent to:
The National General Secretary
Zimbabwe National Council of YMCA
21-1st Avenue
P.O. Box M160
Mabelreign
Harare

Remuneration will be disclosed to short listed candidates.

Or email to jacob [at] africaymca [dot] org or administrator [at] zymca [dot] co [dot] zw

Please note that our organization comprises of staff and volunteers.

Katie the Duchess of Cambridge is up in arms with media houses that published naked photos of her whilst she was sun bathing on holiday in France with her husband William. Their lawyers are said to be pursuing the matter through French courts with the aim of preventing further use of the images and to seek damages. To them their right to privacy has been infringed since these pictures were taken using a long lens by someone in the street near where the royal couple was staying. Back at home, Locardia the PM’s ‘estranged’ wife is a big sucker for encouraging journalists into her private life. Today the Herald’s front page carries a picture of her and her lawyer discussing the way forward. Yes – her lawyer’s office – I wonder how a journalist had access to that meeting! She has always struck me as a media attention seeker. She surely knows how to get journalists inside her camp and get them well equipped with details.

I recently stumbled on a report online about sterilization of HIV positive women. I was baffled to learn that three women in Namibia had been sterilized without their consent. I have to admit that I haven’t heard of any such cases in Zimbabwe. All I see are means of educating HIV positive couples on ways of having healthier and possibly HIV negative children. Thus there is more talk of the mother to child transmission programmes and no talk of sterilization. The three women took the state hospitals to court for sterilizing them, making them barren on the basis that they are HIV positive. Now these women cry that they are going to be outcasts in their societies because of their barren nature. In African societies a woman is defined by being able to bear children. They say they have lost out on this ‘womanly definition’ against their own will.

“Do you fall in love often?”

Yes often. With a view, with a book, with a dog, a cat, with numbers, with friends, with complete strangers, with nothing at all.
Jeanette Winterson, Gut Symmetries

We often find ourselves telling a person to take a chill pill and take things easy. Well, a wife suspected of cheating prescribed a painkiller to her husband who had claimed he was hurt when he learnt his wife was cheating. The wife, Swaziland’s Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs, exact words were: “If my husband is hurting, he must buy Panado and drink it with lots and lots of water to relieve the pain.” Read full story here.