[WSIS CS-Plenary] WSIS-B+10: Media and ICT Caucus Statement

[karen banks]

dear all,

A statement from the Beijing Plus 10 review in Bangkok (Asia-Pacific 
regional meeting) from the Media and ICT Caucus. Please note the references 
to WSIS.

I am afraid this statement is only available in english.

karen

>The following is a report from the Asia-Pacific Women's Watch onsite 
>report of teh B+10 Intergovernmental High Level Meeting organized by the 
>UN Economic and Social Commission of Asia Pacific. Daily reports from the 
>HLM will be available through the APWW-mailing list, and will also be made 
>available from the APNGO-Forum website at http://ap-ngo-forum.isiswomen.org
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Media and ICT Caucus Statement at the Asia-Pacific
>High-Level Meeting on Beijing + 10
>Bangkok, Thailand 7-10 September, 2004
>
>The Media and ICT Caucus wish to state from the outset our reaffirmation
>of the commitments of the BPFA and the Cairo Programme of Action, and
>their Plus 5 documents.
>
>The BPFA is a milestone document that acknowledged the need for greater
>recognition and relevant strategies by all stakeholders to accelerate the
>advancement of women through a diverse range of media forms in its Women
>and Media Section (Section J). It  further notes the under-representation
>of women in decision-making positions in the media and information and
>communication technologies (ICT), and the lack of gender sensitivity
>within media organizations.
>
>It also calls for the need to eliminate negative, degrading and
>stereotypical images of women in the media, in order to reflect the
>realities and diversities of women’s lives and contributions to society.
>
>Despite these Section J provisions, negative and stereotypical women’s
>images are still very common in the media. Women media practitioners are
>still denied the opportunities to advance to decision making positions
>within media organizations. Women continue to experience discrimination in
>various forms. The same pattern exists in the ICT spaces.
>
>Since 1995, media have become more and more commercialised and globalized.
>Most public service media have also started operating as commercial media
>enterprises.
>
>Another major development that has taken place after 1995 is the rapid
>growth of the new information and communication technologies. It has
>dramatically changed the ways by which media production and distribution
>take place. It has enabled women’s media, information and communication
>groups to advocate on critical issues such as the plight of women in armed
>conflict situations, the challenges they face in their conflict prevention
>and peacebuilding work, and the risks women human right defenders
>confront.
>
>The World Summit on the Information Society recognises the importance of
>new ICT in development. However, an equitable and inclusive ‘Information
>Society’ must be based on the principles of gender equality,
>non-discrimination and women's empowerment as contained in the Beijing
>Declaration and Platform for Action and the CEDAW Convention.
>
>We would like to draw the attention of delegates to the opportunities that
>community and independent media provides women that enable them to
>participate in media production and decision-making in the media. We also
>wish to underscore that women’s active involvement in the media ensures
>diversity and plurality of views and allows women’s and people’s
>organisations to promote the goals of gender equality.
>
>Community and independent media are therefore enabling and relevant
>mechanisms that can address emerging issues highlighted in this
>conference. They provide avenues for dialogue with civil society
>organisations as well as governments on development and other issues that
>impact on their lives. However, many governments in the Asia-Pacific
>region have yet to recognise the crucial role and the potentials of
>community and independent media.
>
>We therefore recommend that:
>
>·       Governments create more responsive regulatory frameworks to 
>support all
>forms of community and independent media, and in particular community
>broadcasting.
>·       Universal Access is ensured to all women and men, communities and
>nations to ensure the right to access and effectively use the information
>and knowledge they need to address their development concerns.
>·       Governance and ICT Policies must enable full and equal 
>participation of
>women. A gender perspective must be incorporated by all stakeholders
>involved in the process of planning, implementing, monitoring and
>evaluating national ICT plans and programs.
>·       Historical patterns of gender segregation in employment within the ICT
>sector be countered.
>·       All stakeholders promote the maintenance and growth of the common 
>wealth
>of human knowledge as a means of reducing global inequality and of
>providing the conditions for intellectual creativity and sustainable
>development.
>·       Policy and regulatory frameworks to address the use of the internet be
>developed inclusively and transparently with all stakeholders,
>particularly women, and be based on the international human rights
>framework encompassing rights related to privacy and confidentiality,
>freedom of expression and opinion and other related rights.
>
>
>Sharon Bhagwan Rolls on behalf of the Media and ICT Caucus
>
>World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC)/Women’s
>International Network (WIN)
>Isis International-Manila
>FemLink Pacific
>Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
>Antenna Foundation Nepal
>Sancharika Samuha