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Plenary Action Points

Media, culture and communication:  Strategies

4 September 1995 plenary

  Despite the increase in women journalists globally, the number
of women interviewees is still only 17%.  We need to change the
way the news is framed and how the media construct reality.  What
are the headlines in the world=D5s newspapers about this confe
rence and how can we take control of what the headlines should
be?  We must act now to create our own global headlines.  Imagine
a headline which reads:  =D2Spectacular city of women fights for
equality, development and peace=D3.

  Men tend to view technology as a way to =D2conquer the universe=D3
while women are more likely to see technology as a means to an
end, a way to =D2meet people=D5s needs.=D3 Women must not be
intimidated by technology, but must grab it with both hands and
use the resources it offers.  Our overall goal must be to provide
women and girls equal access to information, because information
is power...and at its best, information is not power that
=D2conforms=D3 but power that =D2reforms.=D3

  We need to empower women through the arts so that unique female
sensibilities are not shaded by male visions.  But complaining
does not change things;  change follows from action.

  Forms of sexual exploitation, such as sex-tours and trafficking
in women are spreading throughout Asia as a huge multinational
sex industry.  It is a system which dehumanizes women.  Not only
Asian men from the NICs (newly industrialized countries) go
abroad for sex;  it is now common to see =D2big white men carrying
little young girls.=D3 It is important to understand the role of
the global media in disseminating consumer values that pressure
people to buy more, consume more, and waste more;  and SEX is one
of the cheap, disposable commodities.

  The media is now globalized, which means that western media
dominate, providing 80% of the information disseminated globally.
People of the non Western world are mere receivers of new
reported by the Western media.  How can we confront the global
domin ation of the Western media?  Democratization is the key
task.  We should make concerted efforts to launch a transborder
women=D5s initiative to make the media a truly democratic organ of
communication.

 Severe logistical obstacles are placed in the way of the women=D5s
movement worldwide.  The consistent physical separation between
the UN conferences and the parallel NGO meetings, and the intense
levels of security which bar women=D5s access at these meetin gs is
one such obstacle.  We must become more articulate and create
innovative strategies to overcome these obstacles.  We must not
forget that our movements are also back home and that is where we
belong.