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About "Women Make the News 2001"
UNESCO and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) have
jointly launched the second annual world-wide web-based operation "Women
Make the News 2001" to mark International Women's Day, 8 March 2001. In
this operation, the media are invited to name women journalists to take
on media management positions, where they don't already, for a period of
one week, 5 to 11 March 2001. It is entirely up to each media to
determine how to implement the initiative. In media where no woman has
ever held the position of editor-in-chief, this could offer a first
experience of editorial responsibility. Women who do hold media
management positions are asked to ensure that they are on duty for the
week, or are replaced by another women.
UNESCO is committed to the principle of equality of opportunity and more
equitable gender balance in the media, a commitment ensuing from the 4th
World Conference on Women in Beijing 1995. UNESCO's web-based initiative
"Women Make the News 2001" is designed to bring attention to the fact
that even though women are increasingly being represented in terms of
numbers in the media, not enough women reach decision-making positions.
The initiative also aims to promote a balanced and non-stereotyped
portrayal of women.
By focusing on equal opportunities in the media UNESCO emphasizes that
the free flow of independent and pluralistic information can only exist
when all talented journalists have an equal chance of becoming editors
and media executives.
"Women Make the News" was first launched in 2000 by UNESCO's
Director-General Mr. Koïchiro Matsuura. He made an appeal to the world's
media to name women to top editorial posts for a single day,
International Women's Day, 8 March 2000. His call was supported by
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan; United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights and Secretary-General of the World
Conference on Racism Mary Robinson; International Organisation for the
Francophonie Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali; European
Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs Anna Diamantopoulou; IFJ;
International Women's Media Foundation; International Association of
Women in Radio and Television; and China Capital Women Journalists
Association.
Last year, more than 1,000 media organisations from over 56 countries
took part in the one-day operation, and many of these media called for a
similar but longer initiative in 2001.
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