Life in Lulu: How Can Radio Drama Shift Peoples' Perceptions around Violence and Support Women to Resolve Disputes?

"Excluding women from decisions that affect their lives, in both the household and wider community, makes them more vulnerable to violence."

This briefing shares the findings of research into the impact of a radio drama, Life in Lulu, which is part a media project being implemented by BBC Media Action in South Sudan. The drama sought to change women's attitudes and inspire female listeners to resolve conflicts non-violently and encourage others to do the same.

As explained in the brief, in many parts of South Sudan, protracted conflict and ethnic tensions have contributed to the fact that violence, including gender-based violence (GBV), has become normalised to resolve disputes at household level and between groups and communities. Research conducted by BBC Media Action also shows that gender norms prevent women from speaking out against violence and being actively involved in decision-making and peacebuilding processes.

Between December 2017 and November 2019, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs funded the production and broadcast of two seasons of the long running 15-minute radio drama, Life in Lulu, which is set in the fictional village of Lulu (See Related Summaries below for more information about the series). These two seasons were designed to demonstrate how disputes can be resolved peacefully without resorting to violence and included storylines challenging traditional power dynamics between men and women, role-modelling the importance of involving women in decision-making processes, and highlighting the negative consequences of violence, including GBV. The radio drama was followed by a 15-minute live call-in discussion programme, where listeners were encouraged to apply what they had learned from the drama to their own lives.

The research methodology included in-depth interviews conducted with listeners from six locations, listeners' comments from the live call-in discussion programmes that follow the drama, and a survey conducted with 1,696 respondents aged 15 and over across five states. Survey respondents were asked about their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour related to non-violent conflict resolution and gender norms, and whether they had listened to Life in Lulu.

The research showed that more men than women with access to radio listened to Life in Lulu. However, nearly half of both men and women were highly engaged, meaning they listened to Life in Lulu regularly (at least every other episode) and said the story affected them emotionally, the drama was relevant to their everyday lives, and they felt sorry for characters and could imagine themselves facing similar situations.

The brief assesses how the drama sought to influence gender norms: by highlighting the negative impacts of violence against women and showcasing how empowered women can speak out against it; by challenging gender norms that limit women to the role of caregiver and housewife and men to the role of provider; and by providing strong but relatable male and female characters who are agents of change in their community. The research showed, for example, how the characters and the story were able to challenge traditional norms that justify intimate partner violence and prevent women from speaking out against it. Some characters were also shown to be more popular amongst women than with men and therefore had less impact on men's attitudes about the role of women in decision-making and dispute resolution.

The research shares evidence that highly engaged female listeners feel more confident in their abilities to use non-violent ways to resolve disputes. This can be attributed to having characters that are engaging to women and storylines that challenge traditional gender roles and model more balanced power dynamics between men and women. However, entrenched norms about women's role in community decision-making processes prevent female listeners from taking action. The drama had less impact on shifting the attitudes of men in relation to the role of women in decision-making and conflict resolution. As stated in the brief, gender norms related to decision-making within and outside the home are particularly "sticky" and difficult to change, especially in communities that are experiencing economic and political crises.

While addressing gender norms is challenging, the brief shares the following lessons to ensure a high level of engagement with radio dramas:

• Trial different characters and storylines that engage and inspire the whole community, including both women and men.
• Role-model deviations from the norm by depicting alternative yet familiar realities in which highly relatable male and female characters do not behave as expected.
• Give visibility to positive masculinity by showcasing men and boys who support and collaborate with women and girls in the process of gender norm transformation, and demonstrate the benefits of this.
• Feature characters that represent influential people whom the audience trusts, respects, and listens to, and who speak and act in support of gender norm transformation.
• Create safe spaces for discussion and dialogue (e.g., through call-in discussion programmes or listening clubs), where women and men can reflect on the appropriateness and negative impacts of existing norms or associated behaviours and re-negotiate them.