Asia-Pacific summit will fight gender inequality in the media
The ABU has announced plans for an Asia-Pacific regional gender media summit in 2016.
Speaking at a special forum on women in the media at the start of a week of ABU activities around the Union’s 50th General Assembly in Vietnam, ABU Secretary-General Dr Javad Mottaghi told delegate they needed a well-drafted long-term action plan to eradicate gender bias in the media, one that could be prepared with all partners.
“The ABU would be pleased to put this action plan in practice in partnership with all stakeholders,” he said.
He said the Women With the Wave forum on 23 October 2013, the second in the series, was different from other seminars or gatherings and the ABU started this event last year with a view to creating regional and national movements to empower women, much more than exchanging ideas and experiences.
“Everybody who participates in this forum is a party and a permanent member of this movement to increase the awareness of decision-makers and policy-makers back home and to strengthen the movement,” he told delegates. “You are all ambassadors to initiate relevant activities when you return and support gender empowerment.”
Two senior women from the Vietnamese Government and the host broadcaster Vietnam TV spoke at the forum.
Ms Nguyen Thi Thu Hien, Deputy General Director of VTV, said her organisation had made equality a high priority, both in its organisation and in its programming.
She said VTV also broadcast more programs with content to help people with disabilities integrate into the community.
“I hope that Women With the Wave will be a good opportunity for members from agencies, organisations, radio and television of other countries to share experiences for the empowering of women and people with disabilities through communication and information technology,” she said.
Madam Pham Thi Hai Chuyen, Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, told the forum information technology, media and communications were effective tools contributing to empowerment, promoting gender equality and helping people with disabilities integrate into the community.
She said the Vietnamese Government actively participated and implementing International commitments on gender equality and similar issues of equity.
“Information technology and media have contributed to raising awareness, changing the perceptions and behaviour of the community on gender and gender equality and also women’s position in the family and in society,” she said.
The event continues today with delegates reviewing progress one year on from the inaugural Seoul forum, with the view to finalising the Hanoi Statement – a statement on empowering women and girls and people with disabilities through media and ICTs.