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 **  **     **      ** **       COMMUNIQUE # 4 - 17
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 **  **     **      ** **       24 April 1995
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International Freedom of Expression eXchange Clearing House
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UNESCO WOMEN AND MEDIA PLATFORM ESPOUSES FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

The Toronto Platform for Action, which was adopted by the
participants of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) International Symposium on Women
and Media, proposed a number of long-term global actions in the
field of communications. It calls on governments to "abolish
those laws which curb freedom of expression, freedom of
association and those laws that result in discrimination of
women." It further encourages governments to "establish a legal
framework which guarantees the right to freely seek, receive and
impart information to men and women and to refrain from defining
journalists' ethics, which is a matter for those engaged in
journalism." In its list of specific and immediate actions, the
Toronto Symposium participants encourage UNESCO to "ensure that
several themes on women's contributions to the media are adopted
for World Press Freedom Day and other relevant observances." In
addition, UNESCO should "monitor and denounce attacks on media
professionals or users who expose or speak out against
extremists, be they political, religious, racist, etc."

At the Symposium, the definition of freedom of expression was
discussed. According to several participants and observers, "the
concept of freedom of expression takes on different meanings
given the political, social and economic context of a country."
For example, freedom of expression in the Arab world, "given the
rise of religious fundamentalism, has placed journalists and
intellectuals in the difficult position of weighing this concept
against the safeguard[ing] of human life." They pointed out that
"it is difficult to know where to draw the line when it comes to
freedom of expression, and whether this can be done without
putting limitations on what has come to be viewed as one of the
fundamental tenets of human rights." The participants at the
Toronto Symposium also drew up a Beijing Platform for Action for
the United Nations conference on women in September, which
proposes amendments in paragraphs referring to the media in the
draft platform for action of 17 February 1995.

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The IFEX Communique is published weekly by the IFEX Clearing
House, Toronto. The facility is operated by the Canadian
Committee to Protect Journalists in partnership with the member
organizations of the International Freedom of Expression eXchange
(IFEX). Material for the Communique may be submitted to the CCPJ,
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CANADA; E-mail: ifex@web.apc.org; Tel: (1-416) 703-1638; or Fax:
(1-416) 703-7034. Editor this week: Kristina Stockwood.
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