Crossroads Radio Drama

Crossroads comprises six 20-minute episodes, each thematically related to an Article in the Protocol, specifically the rights to: peace, freedom from violence, marriage and divorce, political participation, education, and reproductive and sexual health. The story follows Mama Bahati, a middle-aged market woman searching for her missing daughter, and Inspector Tumbo, an egotistical police chief, who switch bodies when they drink a magic brew from Mama Sweetie's changa'a den. By experiencing life in each other's bodies and discovering both the advantages and disadvantages of being the opposite sex, the characters in Crossroads highlight gender inequalities and show how assumptions about men's and women's roles and responsibilities in society can prevent women from accessing their rights.

Originally produced in English for a Kenyan audience, Crossroads was subsequently adapted, translated, and produced in Swahili (Njia Pacha, also recorded in Kenya), Portuguese (Caminhos Crusados, recorded in Mozambique), and French (Les Pistes Croisées, recorded in Senegal). The Crossroads launch in Nairobi was preceded by a media workshop, organised by FEMNET, which was designed to provide journalists with information and skills for reporting on the AU Protocol and women's rights issues. The drama also included original theme music, to both add to the entertainment value of the drama and further disseminate the messages.

The radio drama was distributed free of charge to radio stations, particularly community radio stations, across the continent, accompanied by a guide for radio presenters and community organisations. The guide gives presenters suggestions for questions to ask listeners or studio guests, as well as stories they can produce that relate to the themes in each episode. It also contains key contacts and information about women's rights, and a simplified breakdown of key articles in the Protocol that relate to the themes in the drama.

At the beginning of the project, formative research was conducted to inform the storylines, identify key issues and information to be communicated throughout the drama, and shape characters. CMFD also reviewed published documents, research reports, manuals, and websites related to the Protocol.

In October 2007, FEMNET and CMFD Productions held a participatory workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, to develop and script Crossroads. This included representatives from FEMNET and FAHAMU, CMFD staff, professional scriptwriters, and members of a local communication for development theatre troupe and puppetry group. Over the course of the 5-day workshop, participants learned about the Protocol, about the radio drama project, and about writing serial radio dramas for development communication. They then came up with the storyline and subplots for the drama, and created detailed episode treatments, which the scriptwriters used to script each episode. As each episode was completed, participants held readings to critique the scripts and suggest changes. The scriptwriters made revisions based on these comments. At the end of the five days, six drafts of the episodes were completed. According to the organisers, the workshop was an effective strategy, because it allowed the group the opportunity to read though the scripts as they were written. The group was able to give feedback on characterisation, continuity, facts and realities presented, language, and cultural context that could be immediately incorporated into a second draft of each episode.

The promotional trailers and theme songs are available on the CMFD website.

Gender, Women's Rights

According to the organisers, the AU Protocol is a very important document; however, many people do not know about it. Currently, a campaign for its ratification and domestication is being spearheaded by a coalition of more than twenty organisations known as Solidarity for African Women's Rights (SOAWR) Coalition, of which FEMNET and FAHAMU are members. There is a need to popularise and mobilise the remaining countries to not only ratify but also domesticate the Protocol. The Media for African Women's Rights Project (MEWOR) was designed to help raise awareness through radio.