As part of the United Nation's Commission on the Status of Women(link is external) discussions, UNESCO will hold two panel disussions at the Commission's review theme: "Participation in and access of women to the media, and information and communications technologies and their impact on and use as an instrument for the advancement and empowerment of women". UNESCO plays a key role in fostering freedom of expression online and offline, promoting the safety of journalists, advancing diversity and participation in media, and supporting independent media. 

Both panels are part of UNESCO's International Programme for the Development of Communications (IPDC) partnership with The Netherlands that will address gender inequalities and violence against women through partnering with Organization the Global Alliance for Media and Gende(link is external)r (GAMAG) and the UNITWIN Network for Gender, Media and ICTs(link is external).

Safe Journalists, Strong Democracies: How on and offline attacks on women journalists are hurting us all

Thursday 22 March, 10am-11.15am, Room 12, UN Headquarters(link is external)

The safety of women journalists has risen to become one of the pre-eminent issues for journalism in our digital era. During CSW, UNESCO will highlight and promote action on the safety of women journalists through a side event supported by The Netherlands and Sweden.  Safe Journalists, Strong Democracies: How on and offline attacks on women journalists are hurting us all will discuss the many ways women journalists can be placed in vulnerable settings, both in the workplace, in the field and online, leaving them open to all kinds of harassment, intimidation and violence.  Under the framework of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and Issue of Impunity, panelists will share their first hand experiences of these threats and the consequences  these actions have on the fundamental role that the press plays in strengthening democratic societies.

Panelists:

1. Ms Alison Smale, Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, Department of Public Information, UN and former journalist
2. Ms Maria Ressa, CEO and executive Director of Rappler. Featured in UNESCO publication Chapter 8 in An Attack on One is An Attack on All (Philippines)
3. Ms Jennifer Clement, President of PEN International, (Mexico)
4. Ms Abeer Sa’ady, War correspondent and media trainer, Vice President of International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT) (Egypt)
5. Mr Matthew Caruana Galizia, Pulitzer prize-winning journalist (Malta)
6. Mr Guy Berger, Director of Freedom of Expression and Media Development, UNESCO.

The event is supported by Sweden and The Netherlands.

To Register, click here(link is external) or join via webcast at the time of the event here: http://webtv.un.org(link is external)

The Holistic Gender and Media Agenda: An analysis and key findings of the 2018 GAMAG Position Papers

Friday 23 March, 10am-11.15am, Room 12, UN Headquarters(link is external)

The panel will explore and debate the wide range of gender and communication issues hitherto omitted from past considerations of the CSW Review theme, making the case for the centrality of communication in broader struggles for gender equality and women’s human rights, as well as for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Issues such as gender equality in media decision-making positions, media policy, gender and freedom of expression and the rights of women media workers will be discussed, identifying key areas for action and practical recommendations for media and ICT companies, Member States, civil society and others.

The session will explore a set of gender and media position papers prepared by GAMAG members, each proposing specific recommendations for governments, media organisations and civil society.

Moderator: June Nicholson, Virginia Commonwealth University

Panelists:

1. Guy Berger, Director of Freedom of Expression and Media Development, UNESCO
2. Aimée Vega Montiel, Researcher, National Autonomous University of Mexico; Vice-President, International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) and Interim Chair of the Global Alliance on Media and Gender,
3. Sarah Macharia, Director of the Global Media Monitoring Project; Programme Manager, World Association of Christian Communication (WACC) and Interim General Secretary of GAMAG,
4. Mindy Ran, International Federation of Journalists
5. Amina Lemrini, President, High Authority of Audiovisual Communication Morocco (Haute Autorité de la communication audiovisuelle)
6. Claudia Padovani Senior Lecturer, Padova University
7. Carolyn Byerly, Professor, Howard University

This panel is supported by The Netherlands