Transforming Gender Norms, Attitudes, and Behaviours through Participatory Mobile Phone Video-Making

Mwenzva, Booker

Transforming Gender Norms, Attitudes, and Behaviours through Participatory Mobile Phone Video-Making

Thesis / Dissertation

2026

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Centre for Film and Media Studies

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

Southern Africa grapples with an alarmingly high prevalence of violence against women. This dissertation proposes a novel approach: leveraging participatory video (PV) to encourage behavioural and attitudinal change within men, transforming them into allies for gender equality. Despite the existing body of research on PV methods, a gap exists in terms of its theoretical and practical application within the Southern African context, particularly for film and community development initiatives focused on men. This dissertation aims to bridge this gap. The research examines the transformative impact of PV on peer educators participating in the "conversations with men" program, a 3-phase gender equality initiative led by STEPS, a Cape Town-based media company. Executed in partnership with nine non-profit organizations across seven Southern African countries, the program spanned three years. This study focuses on Phase 3 (documenting change) and explores the experiences of 44 peer educators trained to create "change stories" using readily available mobile phone technology. These cell phone videos documented their program participation and personal journeys towards transformed attitudes and behaviours related to gender norms. Through this analysis, the research sheds light on the potential of PV to empower men as agents of positive social change in the fight against gender-based violence. The researcher facilitated one-day workshops during onsite fieldwork visits to partner organizations in Zimbabwe (2), Malawi (2), Lesotho (1), and Botswana (1). In addition, one day online workshops were conducted with partner organisations in Uganda and Zambia. Employing a qualitative approach, the research collected the experiences of peer educators through 8 in-depth interviews workshops, 44 reflective writing responses, and an analysis of 14 change stories they produced. The research unearthed powerful personal narratives within the program's findings. Engaging in its multi-faceted activities, which included community film screenings and workshops on cell phone filmmaking, ignited a transformative journey for peer educators. Through self reflection, increased sense of ownership, and a heightened awareness of local cultural gender issues, these individuals discovered their own agency and commitment to personal growth. This newfound empowerment inspired them to create genuine, hyper-local video content that not only resonated with their personal experiences of conducting community dialogue on gender, but also the embodied experience of creating these narratives served as a powerful testament to their own transformed perspectives and behaviours in dismantling harmful gender norms and values. The creation of change stories with accessible "simple media tools" provided participants with spaces for co-creating narratives that addressed pressing gender issues. Peer educators transcended their traditional film facilitator role, becoming "impact igniters" by both modelling positive behaviours and using cell phones to documenting local voices that inspire collective representation and participation within their local communities. These findings suggest the transformative potential of PV methods in challenging entrenched gender norms and promoting observable personal shifts in attitudes and behaviours. The research recognizes and emphasises the importance of prioritizing impact within PV interventions, advocating for clear goals that shape both the process and the product. The study points out the crucial role of collaborative partnerships and locally driven narratives in ensuring the effectiveness of PV initiatives. While acknowledging the absence of a universally accepted theoretical framework for PV, this dissertation contributes to the field by demonstrating how the use of simple media tools in multi-layered grassroots participation encourages localised representation and authorship, leading to observable impacts such as enhanced personal agency. Lastly, the study advocates for impact-driven iterative approaches as a means to strengthen the sustainability of PV interventions in promoting lasting social change and community empowerment.