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Overlapping Agendas, Different Priorities
Introduction

Outreach to Media

Advocacy

Media Watch

Media Codes and Standards

Use of New Information and Communications Technology

Introduction

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The progress made in recent years by the media and new communication and information technologies has opened new possibilities to make women's contribution to society visible. It has enabled women to organize and communicate across national, regional and international boundaries.

This progress has allowed the construction of a global communications network that transcends national borders and influences state policies, private attitudes, and social behaviour. The media is the nerve centre of expression, producing and transmitting information it considers important to society. Through the media, public opinion is generated, strengthened, and nourished. For this reason media must represent appropriately the pluralism of images and discourses generated by society, in particular, those produced by women, because they also have the right to take part in this public conversation. It is important, then, that media content respects plurality and the diversity of voices, images, and words in favour of gender equity and justice.

There has been a fair debate and dialogue in the past years on the nexus between women, media, and communications. There has been criticism on the use of women's bodies to promote sales or increase audience. Several studies have shown that little progress has been made in these issues. But this has not diminished women's work to overcome discrimination, stereotypes, and cultural bias. On the contrary, it has challenged them to work strategically to place their new roles in private and public life, and their contribution to civil society. Women want to build an integral vision of themselves as citizens and subjects of communications with equal rights and opportunities.

This section is dedicated to different models of communications and ways of influencing the media that women have put into action in many countries around the world in order to make progress in gender equity in the communications arena.

These best practice models have been selected because of what has been achieved and the resulting successes in the countries or regions. They have a multiplier effect; they can be replicated in and adapted to other regions; have a broad participation base; are sustainable and innovative; and represent efforts made by many women and women's organizations to promote change and a positive impact of gender perspective in the media.

These best practices have been selected based on the following categories:

  • Outreach to media
  • Advocacy
  • Media watch
  • Codes and standards
  • Use of new information and communications technology