Such behaviours and expectations can also be unlearned. Gender is also a socio-economic and political variable with which to analyse people’s roles, responsibilities, constraints and opportunities 1 . 2 By extension, gender roles are“socially determined behaviours, tasks and responsibilities for women and men based on socially perceived differences that define 13 how they should think, act and feel based on their respective sex”. Gender roles have a life-cycle dimension thus meaning they can and do change through individual choice and in response to events and processes such as the transition to democracy in the South African context. Gender discrimination can therefore be understood as“any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of socially constructed gender roles and norms that prevent a person from fully enjoying their rights”. 14 2.2 Types of Gender Discrimination Gender discrimination generates inequalities between men and women. More and more women find that they have to prove themselves in their workplaces so that they are seen as equals to their male counterparts at the workplace. Below are some of the forms of gender discrimination: · Financial inequality whereby women earn a lower wage than men although they share identical professional qualifications and credentials. · Glass ceiling whereby women are prevented from competing for higher positions and climbing the professional ladder through fair and equal promotion in the workplace. · Gender stereotypes whereby definitions of femininity and masculinity 15 influence the types of jobs or story topics that female journalists are assigned compared to their male colleagues. For instance, Editors have the tendency to assign“soft news” like entertainment and lifestyle to female journalists and“hard news” such as politics, economics, and sports to male journalists. · Pregnancy and motherhood, which are frequently used as factors upon which women are discriminated against and denied employment or promotion. These are unfairly perceived to be obstacles to a woman's ability to perform professionally. They are also anticipated as potential threats to a woman's long-term commitment to a job. · Sexual harassment refers to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. 16 As an extension of most of the above forms of discrimination, age or ageism, as well as woman's physique and aesthetic appearance have been known to play a role in discrimination against women, especially in the media profession, namely broadcast media, where age and appearance often dictates success. 3. Research Findings Ch3> 3.1 How do Zambian media workers understand gender discrimination? Even though women and girls are not exclusively victims of discrimination and violence; women and girls are the most affected and it is a problem of pandemic proportions. According to the 2007 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey; almost half of women (47%) in Zambia have suffered from physical violence at some point since age 15. One­third of women suffer from acts of violence. This proportion is significantly higher for divorced/separated/widowed women(41%) than single women(11%). One in ten women have ever experienced sexual violence. 17 Despite the fact that women are in the majority(51%); Zambia remains a very male­dominated society. It is important for media workers to have a clear understanding of gender discrimination in its various forms. Without a crucial understanding it becomes impossible for both victims and sometimes perpetrators to recognise situations in which gender discrimination takes place, particularly in societies where gender roles are largely embedded in patriarchy. 18 12