1. Increase women's participation in and access to the media and new technologies of communication.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:

You have the right to freely express your opinion without fear of punishment both within your country and to people in other countries. UDHR 19; ICCPR 19; ICERD 5d, v; CRC 12,13,17

You have the right to participate freely in the cultural life of the community and to enjoy the arts and all the benefits of scientific progress. UDHR 27; ICESCR 15; CEDAW 13c; ICERD 5e,vi; CRC 31

Countries must adopt measures that ensure equality of opportunity and treatment in all areas of employment and occupation. DC 2

ACTIONS:

• Support women's education, training and employment to promote and ensure their equal access to all areas and levels of the media.
  
  
• Support research into all aspects of women and the media, and support women's groups that are active in all media work and systems of
  communications.
  
  
• Aim at gender balance in the appointment of women and men to all advisory, management, regulatory or monitoring bodies of private, state or public media.
  
  
• Encourage and recognize women's media networks, including electronic networks and other new technologies of communication, and support women's groups active in media work.
  
  
• Encourage the development of educational and training programmes for women, and the use of the new technologies of communication, cybernetics space and satellite.
  
  
• Encourage the establishment of media watch groups that can consult and ensure that women's needs and concerns are properly reflected.
  
  
• Use technology and communication to strengthening women's participation in all levels of decision-making and democratic processes.
  
  
• Support the development of alternative media to disseminate information to and about women and their concerns; encourage the use of traditional and ethnic forms of communication such as story-telling, dramas, poetry and song.
  
  
• Establish professional guidelines and codes of conduct that address gender stereotyping, violent, degrading or pornographic media materials.
  
  
• Compile a directory of women media experts.
  
  

2. Ensure that women are shown in the media in a balanced and not a stereotyped way.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:

States must take all appropriate measures to eliminate prejudices and practices based on the idea of the inferiority of women or on stereotyped gender roles. CEDAW 52; DEVAW 4j

States must encourage the mass media to disseminate information and material of social and cultural benefit to children that is directed to the development of respect for human rights, equality of the sexes and friendship among all peoples. CRC 17 and 29

The mass media can contribute to strengthening peace and international understanding by promoting respect for the rights of all, without distinction as to race, sex, language, religion or nationality. DFP 3

ACTIONS:

• Encourage gender-sensitive training for media professionals.
  
  
• Stop patterns of media presentation that generate violence.
  

MEDIA: ACHIEVEMENTS

• The establishment of local, national and international women’s media networks has contributed to global information dissemination, exchange of views, and support to women’s groups active in media work.
  
  
• The development of information and communications technologies (ICTs), especially the Internet, has provided increased communication opportunities for women and girls.
  
  
• ICTs have enabled an increasing number of women to contribute to knowledge sharing, networking and electronic commerce activities.
  
  
• The number of women’s media organizations and programmes has increased, leading to their increased participation in the media and the promotion of positive images of women.
  
  
• Progress has been made to combat negative images of women by establishing professional guidelines and voluntary codes of conduct to encourage fair gender portrayal and the use of non-sexist language.
  

MEDIA: OBSTACLES

• Negative, violent and/or degrading images of women, including pornography and stereotyped portrayals have increased in different forms, sometimes using ICTs.
  
  
• Bias remains against women in media.
  
  
• Some women are prevented from using ICTs, including the Internet, by poverty, lack of access, illiteracy, lack of computer literacy and language barriers.
  
  
• Development of and access to Internet infrastructure is limited, especially in developing countries and particularly for women.