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DATE: 09-23-94 (19:21)

BY JOSEPHINE MASIMBA

HARARE, SEP 23 (IPS) - FEMALE MEDIA WORKERS FRIDAY ADOPTED A
CHARTER AIMED TO PROMOTE ACCESS OF WOMEN TO EXPRESSION AND
DECISION-MAKING.

THE CHARTER WAS ISSUED HERE AT THE END OF A THREE-DAY
CONFERENCE ATTENDED BY 25 DELEGATES FROM EAST AND SOUTHERN
AFRICA.

THE MEETING, ORGANISED BY THE FEDERATION OF AFRICAN MEDIA
WOMEN (FADM) IN THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
(SADC), WAS SPONSORED BY THE UN EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND
CULTURAL ORGANISATION (UNESCO).

"WE NOTE WITH CONCERN THAT THE SITUATION OF WOMEN IN AFRICA
CONTINUES TO BE CHARACTERISED BY DISCRIMINATION, INEQUALITY,
EXPLOITATION AND MARGINALISATION," THE WOMEN SAID IN A
COMMUNIQUE.

"WHILE SOME WOMEN HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO OR HAVE ATTAINED
SENIOR DECISION-MAKING POSITIONS, THEIR EXTREMELY SMALL NUMBERS
ATTEST TO CONTINUING TOKENISM ON THE QUESTION OF GENDER
EQUALITY."

THE WOMEN SLAMMED THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA FOR SERVING THE
INTERESTS OF THE RULING ELITE AT NATIONAL LEVEL, AND
INDUSTRIALISED NATIONS ON A GLOBAL SCALE, EFFECTIVELY LEAVING
THE MAJORITY OF HUMAN BEINGS WITHOUT A VOICE.

"UNDERLYING THE EXCLUSION OF THE VOICES OF THE MAJORITY ARE
ATTITUDES, NEWS VALUES, EDITORIAL POLICIES, PRODUCTION PROCESSES
AND MEDIA OUTPUT THAT REFLECT AND REINFORCE FUNDAMENTAL
INEQUALITIES IN SOCIETY," THE COMMUNIQUE ASSERTED.

THIS ALSO FRUSTRATES "THE FEW ALTERNATIVE MEDIA THAT SEEK TO
GIVE EXPRESSION TO THE VOICELESS STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE IN THIS
ENVIRONMENT".

"AS WOMEN WORKING IN THE MEDIA IN MALE-DOMINATED SOCIETIES,
WE HAVE A PARTICULAR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE MEDIA ARE
UTILISED TO PROJECT WOMEN'S INTERESTS, ASPIRATIONS AND
VISIONS," THE COMMUNIQUE SAID.

"WE ALSO NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE MEDIA FACILITATE THE
EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN IN ALL SPHERES OF ACTIVITIES AT COMMUNITY,
NATIONAL AND GLOBAL LEVELS. WHILE WOMEN WILL BE THE PRIMARY
FOCUS OF OUR ACTIVITIES, WE ALSO GIVE ACTIVE SUPPORT TO THE
EMPOWERMENT OF OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS."

CONSEQUENTLY THE WOMEN RESOLVED TO MAKE THEIR CAUSE THE FOCUS
OF WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY IN 1995 AND PROPOSED THAT FEB. 25 BE
THE INTERNATIONAL DAY ON WOMEN, MEDIA AND SOCIETY.

THE WOMEN AIM TO UPLIFT THEIR STATUS THROUGH LEGISLATION,
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES, CRITICAL AWARENESS
OF MEDIA, COMMUNITY COMMUNICATION, NETWORKING AND ADVOCACY,
TRAINING AND RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION.

OTHER AREAS OF CONCERN WHICH THEY INTEND TO REDRESS ARE THE
MEDIA AGENDA AND PROCESSES, COMMUNICATION STRUCTURES,
COMMUNICATION AND NATIONAL POLICY AND COMMUNICATION AND GLOBAL
ISSUES. (END/IPS/JM/GK/94)