Call for proposal/application
| Contracting Organisation | The Qualitative Magazine |
| Name of Project | Connecting our voices to the world |
| Type of Contract | Short Term Consultancy Services |
| Title of Contract | Baseline Survey on the media and persons with disabilities in Plateau State |
| Duration of Contract | 45 days |
| Location | Plateau State |
| Issue Date | July 1, 2020 |
| Deadline for Submission | July 5, 2020 |
| Duration of Contract | July 8 – August 20, 2020 |
| Start Date | July 8, 2020 |
Background
Images and stories in the media can deeply influence public opinion and establish societal norms. Persons with disabilities are seldom covered in the media, and when they are featured, they are often negatively stereotyped and not appropriately represented. It is not uncommon to see persons with disabilities treated as objects of pity, charity or medical treatment that have to overcome a tragic and disabling condition or conversely, presented as superheroes who have accomplished great feats, so as to inspire the non-disabled.
The media can be a vital instrument in raising awareness, countering stigma and misinformation. It can be a powerful force to change societal misconceptions and present persons with disabilities as individuals that are a part of human diversity. By increasing the awareness and understanding of disability issues and the diversity of persons with disabilities and their situations, the media can actively contribute to an effective and successful integration of persons with disabilities in all aspects of societal life. Indeed, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities requires States to raise awareness and combat stereotypes related to persons with disabilities, including by encouraging all media to portray persons with disabilities in a manner consistent with a respect for human rights.
Attention should be drawn to the image of disability in the media with a view to an accurate and balanced portrayal of disability as a part of everyday life. The media can play an important role in presenting disability issues in a way that could dispel negative stereotypes and promote the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.
It is also important to identify the barriers that hinders persons with disabilities access to media services in order to proffer ways to increase the rate of media service delivery to persons with disabilities.
Furthermore, options should be developed on how to present persons with disabilities in various media and the importance of supporting the work of the United Nations to build a peaceful and inclusive society for all.
It is in view of this that we are calling for application from suitably qualified firms for a survey on how persons with disabilities are being portrayed in the media.
Aim of the survey
The overall aim of the survey is to generate a comprehensive data on how the media and other stakeholders portray persons with disabilities in order to convey a correct, objective and inclusive message on the situation of persons with disabilities in Plateau state and Nigeria in general for their overall wellbeing and development.
Objectives
- To understand better, the issues and challenges faced by persons with disabilities in accessing the media
- To proffer solutions on how the identified challenges in “1 above” can be ameliorated
- To promote recognition of the skills, merits and abilities of persons with disabilities, and of their contributions to the workplace and the labour market
- To find ways of transforming the ‘heart and mind’ and fostering a change in the habits and attitudes of members of the public towards persons with disabilities.
Expected output
A document highlighting the situation analysis on the media and persons with disabilities in Plateau State
Expected outcomes
- The report will be used as a bench-mark in achieving the goals of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Article 8, especially with regard to but not exclusive to:
- Facilitate the development of a Policy and implementation guidelines that will improve service delivery among person with disabilities
- Improved adequate planning for persons with disabilities as it concerns how the media portray persons with disabilities
- Changed attitude and perceptions of the public against persons with disabilities
Target
The target group for this survey are:
- Persons with disabilities
- The media (print and electronic)
- Government officials
Scope of the survey
The survey will be carried out in Plateau state covering the 17 local government areas of the state
Methodology
1. Review of key projects and other documents and materials as deemed relevant by The Qualitative Magazine
2. Develop brief inception report detailing key approach
3. Mapping/Selection of stakeholders and institutions
4. Data collection which will comprise qualitative and quantitative methods to provide diverse perspectives to the survey.
5. Disaggregated quantitative research which will capture the demographics of the disability clusters and organisations.
Method of application
Interested candidates should send in their application to qualitativemagazine@yahoo.com
