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

Tue Sep 21 10:55:19 BST 2004

Thanks Karen, I particularly like this paragraph, "It further notes the 
under-representation of women in decision making positions in the media and 
ICT". This is very true, especially here in the Pacific. While many 
organisations now has a standard statement on any ICT jobs like "Women are 
encouraged to apply", I wonder how may women are appointed. Do you know if 
anyone has conducted a survey? What do women have to do in order to be 
appointed to decision maker positions?
I recently applied for the position of "ICT Advisor" in the Pacific for a UN 
agency, and a "male" has been appointed (which I am happy with because he is 
a Pacific person) but it would be a good idea for these international and/or 
UN agencies to advice the "unsuccessful women" applicants of "why they were 
not selected so they can focus on those weaknesses and try again in the 
future."

I am awaiting the reasons of my being unsuccessful or weaknesses of my 
interview (I was shorlisted) to help me improve on the weaknesses for future 
ICT decision making roles. I did ask and hope I will get this feedback as it 
will be benefitial for me for future roles.

The strange thing is, the appointment appeared in the local paper last week 
but I (as one of the unsuccessful applicants) am still waiting for an 
official advice. I only found out that I was not successful after I sent an 
email to some people who were on the Panel. Is this a strange situation or 
is it me?

So, well done but I strongly recommend to include "the need to provide 
feedback or list of weaknesses of why women applicants were not selected" to 
help them further improve their chances for the future. Could be a strategy! 
What do you think?

>From: karen banks <karenb at gn.apc.org>
>Reply-To: ngowomen at genderit.org
>To: plenary at wsis-cs.org
>CC: wsis-gc at genderwsis.org, ngowomen at genderit.org
>Subject: [Ngowomen] WSIS-B+10: Media and ICT Caucus Statement
>Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2004 08:52:39 +0100
>
>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
>
>
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>Ngowomen at genderit.org
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