Platform for Action supports press freedom<\/p>\n
BEIJING (JP): Women journalists are hopeful that the Platform
\nfor Action to be adopted by the United Nations' Fourth World
\nConference on Women today will help them in their efforts to
\nachieve and preserve freedom of expression.<\/p>\n
"The Beijing document is strategic for women and the
\nmedia...because (it covers issues such as) the need for training
\nfor women in the profession, for access to information, the need
\nto establish alternative networks," senior journalist Anne S.
\nWalker told a special panel discussion on women and the media
\nheld by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
\nOrganization (UNESCO) at the conference yesterday.<\/p>\n
The discussion was opened by Aida de Fishman, who represents
\nCosta Rica on UNESCO's executive board.<\/p>\n
Anne S. Walker, Annie de Wiest and about 130 other media
\nprofessionals played an instrumental role in the March adoption
\nof the Toronto Platform for Action, which calls for action to
\nensure women's access to expression in and through the media.<\/p>\n
The Toronto document outlines strategies for media
\nenterprises, professional associations, educational and media
\ntraining institutions and governments to encourage women's
\nrepresentation and leadership in the media.<\/p>\n
Among the "specific and immediate actions" recommended in the
\nToronto document is the promotion of equal opportunity programs
\nto ensure equal access by women and men to expression and
\ndecision-making.<\/p>\n
It also calls for training in new technologies, the
\npreparation of guidelines for non-discriminatory reporting and
\nthe monitoring and denunciation of attacks on media
\nprofessionals.<\/p>\n
The document has also reportedly been helpful to the UN
\nCommission on the Status of Women in finalizing the draft text
\nBeijing conference's Platform for Action. The section of the
\ndraft on the issue of women and media has been one of the least
\ncontentious at the conference.<\/p>\n
The draft Platform for Action "takes into account two
\nfundamental demands of the media professionals, namely the
\nrespect for freedom of expression and the principle of non-
\nintervention of governments in professional matters, thus
\nencouraging self-regulation," UNESCO Director General Federico
\nMayor said in a statement yesterday.<\/p>\n
"Media issues are for the first time prominently on the agenda
\nof a conference on women," Mayor said. "Therefore, the
\ninternational community recognizes not only the place of the
\nmedia in our societies and its...role in shaping opinions and
\nattitudes toward women and gender issues, but also its potential
\nto (contribute) to the advancement of women worldwide."<\/p>\n
Walker said that the Beijing document would help stop the
\nmedia exploiting women as sex objects.<\/p>\n
De Wiest, however, lamented the lack of coverage, in the
\ngeneral media, of women's issues. That situation needs to be
\naddressed soon, she said. She suggested several long-term
\nsolutions to the problem, including the establishment of more
\nmedia. "The obstacles, certainly, are funds and censorship
\nimposed on the media," she said.<\/p>\n
She also suggested that female media professionals establish
\nwider networks among themselves.<\/p>\n
The draft Platform for Action states that governments should
\n"aim at gender balance in the appointment of women and men to all
\nadvisory, management, regulatory or monitoring bodies, including
\nthose connected to the private and State or public media".<\/p>\n
In 1994 UNESCO organized regional workshops on women and the
\nmedia in West Samoa, Cuba, Malaysia, Ecuador, Bulgaria, Tunisia
\nand Zimbabwe. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/platform-for-action-supports-press-freedom-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}