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On 3 May 2011, the world celebrated World Press Freedom Day. For Africa, the 2011 celebration is special as it marks 20 years of the Windhoek Declaration. However, there can be no press freedom in Africa until women’s voices are equally heard in the media. The questions arising are: has the Windhoek Declaration enhanced media ownership by women? Are women’s voices represented in the media? What are the lessons learned over the last 20 years? What can Africa do going forward?
In addition, the Windhoek+20 campaign is advocating a declaration that can make a difference to information access. Access to information is linked to the public’s right to know. But who is the public? Access to information debates should therefore take into consideration the gender dimensions of the issue, in particular the importance of providing women who constitute 52% of the population in the region. The first seminar in South Africa will be held on 16 August 2011 in Johannesburg and media practitioners will discuss how gender can be put on the media freedom agenda as well as debates on access to information. This seminar is part of a series to be held in the region between May and September 2011.
0 thoughts on “Gender, media freedom and access to information”
Indeed for Africa, the 2011 celebration is special as it marks 20 years of the Windhoek Declaration. Certainly, there can never be real press freedom in Africa until women’s voices are equally heard in the media.Especially when it comes to women sources and women media owners. The numbers does not warrant celebration but commemorating this day as media workers in the region.Personally looking back 20 years windhoek delaration makes me feel bad in the sense that women sources have continued to reduce in mainstream media in my country Zambia and to me is a true reflection to other SADC countries.Worse still to if my knowledge serves me better in Zambia may be it is one out of 10 meaning that real ownership is still not good we have to do more starting from media training institutions to newsrooms, we just have to fight on, after all rights have to be fought not given. Otherwise our struggle for media freedom needs continous re-energising.
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