MTV Staying Alive Foundation and Shujaaz Inc launch 5-year media partnership to tackle restrictive gender norms in Kenya

MTV Staying Alive Foundation and Shujaaz Inc today announce a 5-year partnership to co-deliver an ambitious youth-led mass media programme, designed to tackle restrictive, harmful gender norms that perpetuate inequality in Kenya. ‘Surround Sound Kenya: Changing the Gender Story Together’, will combine the reach and impact of the internationally recognised MTV Shuga brand and the national reach and local networks of Shujaaz to regularly engage 70% of 15-24-year-olds with award-winning media and innovative community engagement. The first phase of the programme is being supported with funding from The Gates Foundation, Co-Impact, Echidna Giving and Imaginable Futures.

“Over the last decade, Kenya’s community of CSO’s and campaigners have achieved major progress in enshrining gender equality in Kenya’s legal system. However, over the last six months, as we’ve begun our work together, both girls and boys across Kenya have consistently described how restrictive gender norms are holding them back from the future they want. The horrifying rise in femicide and data sets on everything from access to education to reproductive health, underline the scale of the work that’s left to be done.” comments Wame Jallow, Executive Director, MTV Staying Alive Foundation.

“The good news is that, together we’ve amassed decades of evidence that authentic youth-led media can help shift restrictive norms, at scale. When that happens, big change follows. Young people feel free to make different choices; about their bodies, their relationships, their education, the work they do – and the lives they want. By working together, we’re going to be able to unlock the life-changing power of media on a scale that simply hasn’t been possible before. After more than a decade away, we can’t think of a better time to bring MTV Shuga’s award-winning storytelling back to Kenya.”

In a first of its kind partnership, MTV Staying Alive Foundation and Shujaaz Inc will work together to co-create aligned, but distinct Shujaaz and MTV Shuga branded media, designed to target girls, boys and hard to reach populations. This constellation of TV, radio, comic books, and digital storytelling content is designed to create a powerful, mutually reinforcing ‘surround sound’ effect, accelerating the pace of change and impact. Mass media storytelling will be activated by continuous on-ground community-level engagement and peer-to-peer education. This will go hand in hand with efforts to build a supportive and enabling environment for change, through national advocacy campaigning with local partners.

“All too often media for social change programmes that are designed to tackle deep-rooted challenges facing young people are short-term and small scale, limiting their impact. After more than a decade of both our organisations rigorously testing and refining our respective models and approaches, we’re aiming to unlock impact on a new scale.” said Bridget Deacon Managing Director, Shujaaz Inc.

“By working in partnership, Surround Sound Kenya has the potential to create a ‘tipping point’ when norms and attitudes can be mainstreamed and cemented for deep and lasting change. This first phase of the programme has been made possible thanks to the shared ambition and support of our partners at The Gates Foundation, Co-Impact, Echidna Giving and Imaginable Futures. As we continue to build and scale the programme, we are excited to collaborate with new funding partners, and to continue to work closely with a range of community-based organisations, last mile service providers, schools and local businesses to co-create this work.”

A Gender Advisory Board* of experts has been established to provide oversight and guide the programme’s design and strategies throughout. Board member Anne Mitaru commented: “As a Board we are really excited by the scale and ambition of Surround Sound Kenya, which will  provide a landmark learning opportunity. We believe it is a chance to test and curate a ‘blueprint’ for what it takes to drive population-level, lasting gender normative change – one that many can draw lessons from and replicate across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.”

——————————————————————————————–

*Gender Advisory Board Members:

• Caroline Armstrong: Chair, New Faces, New Voices (under the Graca Machel trust)
• Anne Mitaru: International Director for Advocacy, SOS Childrens Villages International
• Janet Mbugua: Executive Director, Inua Dada
• Muthoni Ndung’u: East Africa Advocacy Manager, Planned Parenthood Global
• Maryanne Ochola: Managing Director, Endeavor, Economic Empowerment and Gender expert
• Allan Maleche: Executive Director, Kelin Kenya