"This working paper defines the scope of the FemmePowermentAfrique project, its significance, its research approach and its intended beneficiaries. This project originated in an impact assessment of radio on women’s rights and empowerment in Niger, yet has broadened to incorporate a series of rela ... ted and important research questions. The research draws on various methodologies including focus groups with listeners, semi-structured interviews, workshops and context analysis of radio output. The project pursues the following aims: 1. To assess the impact of radio on women’s rights and empowerment in the Sahel region of Africa. Three countries have been selected for initial investigation: Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. 2. To assess perceptions of female empowerment within the context of these countries, particularly in comparison with existing concepts and those widely used by nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and countries and donors in the North. 3. To produce recommendations on the use of radio with regard to women’s rights and empowerment to be used by media development organisations, civil society organisations, journalists and the media, donors, and research organisations. 4. To contribute to understandings of impact and its measurement. 5. To contribute to methodological approaches used by researchers working in the field. 6. To benefit radio organisations, media, listeners and marginalised and disempowered communities in the three countries through the application of the recommendations. 7. To identify other geographic and topic areas that could benefit from the research findings and methodology (for example, youth, governance, and radicalisation)." (Executive summary) more

"This study was conducted between April 2018 and July 2019 with the aim of assessing the impact of Studio Kalangou’s radio broadcasts on women’s rights and empowerment in Niger. It comprised: A content analysis of approximately 60 hours of radio programmes broadcast in 2018 by Studio Kalangou in ... Niger; A series of 40 focus groups, 20 conducted before, and 20 after, the programmes were broadcast; Two knowledge exchange workshops in Niger with representatives from the media, civil society organisations, NGOs, and donors, held before and after the programmes were broadcast; A third and final knowledge exchange workshop, on completion of the research [...] Radio remains a main source of information in Niger and, based on the data collected during the study, is accessed primarily by mobile phone. Use of social media to access sources of information, including radio, remains limited. Whilst radio remains the main source of information amongst older focus group respondents, younger participants demonstrate little interest in radio, preferring social media. A generational divide exists between older and younger listeners. Older listeners are adamant about what youth should be doing, what they should like and what they should enjoy listening to. This does not chime with what young people want or are interested in. Female empowerment, according to the broadcasts, is a long-term process and affects women as part of a group. In contrast, according to listeners, empowerment must affect their daily lives and be on a personal, more micro level. Women-focused programmes, whilst necessary and beneficial, may serve to isolate information and themes as they depart from the normal expectations of a male-dominated society. Gender equality, which already emerges in Studio Kalangou’s mainstream broadcasts, needs to be encouraged and extended throughout the schedule to impact all listeners. There is evidence of changes in behaviour amongst listeners as a result of Studio Kalangou broadcasts. Improvements in general and specific awareness of subject matter and themes emerge strongly. There are differences in editorial priorities between what Studio Kalangou offers and what the listeners want." (Pages 4-5) more