1.      AN ASSESSMENT OF TELEVISION CAMPAIGN ON GENDER ROLES ON EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN PLATEAU STATE

CHAPTER ONE

1.0        INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background of the Study

Despite some progress made over the years or few decades in increasing women’s labour force participation and narrowing gender gaps in wages, gender equality in the world of work, still remains an achieve goal. While millions of women have become successful entrepreneurs, women are still grossly underrepresented in the world’s board rooms. In the develop world, women continue to form a large majority of the world’s working poor, earn less income and are more often affected by long-term unemployment than men.

The centrality of gender equality, women’s employment and the realization of women’s rights in achieving sustainable development has been increasingly recognised in recent decades. This recognition is evident in a number of international norms and agreements, including principles 20 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, adopted in 1492 in its statement regarding the full participation of women being essential to achieving sustainable development.

In the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted by member states of the United Nations in 1995, governments were called upon to integrate gender concerns and perspective into policies and programmes for sustainable development. Also, the centrality or gender equality has been articulated in the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development entitled “The Future we Want,” adopted in 2012 which included recognition of the importance of gender equality and women’s empowerment actions the three pillars of sustainable development, economic, social and environmental and resolved to promote gender equality and women’s feel participation in sustainable developmentpolicies, programmes and decision making at all levels (General Assembly Resolution 66/288, Annex)

The media is seen as a catalyst towards the achievement of better job opportunities and women empowerment, especially through television as a medium of communication by creating awareness campaigns on gender roles and employment opportunities for women in Plateau State

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

It is disturbing that existing data show these is a persisting wide gap between the income generating and employment opportunities of women and men in virtually all sectors of the Nigerian society and particularly Plateau State (FGI, 2012:12) women involvement in the theoretical sector is estimated at 11% compared with the 30% for men. Also, in the Federal Civil Service 76% of civil servants ate men and 24% are women (CIDA, 2012:17). It is on this promise that this study sets out to investigate television awareness campaigns on Gender Roles and Employment Opportunities for Women in Plateau State.

1.3       OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

This study sets out to achieve the following objectives:

1.                  To examine television awareness campaigns on Gender Roles and Employment Opportunities for Women in Plateau State.

2.                  To measure the level of television awareness opportunities for women in Plateau State.

3.                  To ascertain the level of effect of television awareness campaigns on Gender Roles and Employment Opportunities  for Women in PlateauState

1.4       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.      To what extent are television stations advocating for employment opportunities of women in Plateau State?

2.      What are the television campaigns on employment opportunities for women in Plateau State?

3.      What are the factors militating against television campaigns to promote employment opportunities for women in Plateau Stat

1.5       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It serves to promote decent and productive employment and income opportunities equally for women in Plateau State. Also, integrating gender concerns into employment promotion can contribute to more effective boosting of productivity and economic growth, human resources development; sustainable development; and producing poverty in plateau State. Bedsides, this study shall be relevant to women in Plateau State, it will create a platform in educating them on how to be self-reliant. It’s also a wakeup call for the media; especially television in creating awareness for women empowerment. It will also be an avenue for the Plateau State Government to see the urgent need to job creation for women. The study shall also serve as an additional literature to the existing works on the topic for future researchers. It shall also be used by policy makers and mangers in planning media services for public use.

1.6       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study shall cover only an assessment of televisions awareness campaigns on gender roles and employment opportunities for women in Plateau State. It will focus on Plateau Radio Television Corporation (PRTVC) television awareness campaigns programmes for women such as “Dandalin Mata and Baroness.” These two programmes are basically for women campaigns on Entrepreneurial Skills for Self-development.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Assessment: this refers to the evaluation of the awareness campaigns on Gender Roles and Employment opportunities for women in Plateau State.

Employment: This refers to provision of clearest job opportunities in which a person is giving to in order to earn a living.

Awareness: The state or quality of being aware of something, consciousness, wakefulness

Campaign: A series of operations undertaken to achieve a set goal; as, an election, campaign, an advertising campaign.

Gender: A socio- cultural phenomenon that divides people into various categories such as “male” and “female”, with each having associated roles, stereotypes.

Opportunities: Chance for advancement, progress or profit. Favorable circumstancee