A book on Safety Handbook for Women Journalists was launched at the Department of Mass Communication, FCCU on March 15. The book launch event was organized by Faculty of Humanities at Forman Christian College (A Chartered University) in collaboration with Journalism & Media International Center (JMIC), OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway. Dr. Douglas Trimble, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs at FCCU was the guest of honor on the occasion.
The book has been written by International War Correspondent and Media Trainer, Ms. Abeer Saady, and has been translated in Urdu by Ms. Sabahat Afsheen.
Dean of Humanities FCCU, Dr. Altaf Ullah Khan shared his views about the book. They said the Urdu version of the book will equip the women journalists of Pakistan to perform their duties efficiently and safely. The book launch event was moderated by Syed Muhammad Saqib, Assistant Professor at Department of Mass Communication, FCCU. Journalists, students and participants from Journalists Safety Workshop at FCCU attended the book launch.
*The IAWRT Safety Handbook is now available in English, Arabic, Turkish and Urdu.
https://iawrt.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/0315-urdu-book-launch-posted-0319-03.jpeg11522048adminhttp://iawrt.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/logo.pngadmin2023-03-28 19:06:262023-03-28 19:06:29Launch of Urdu translation of IAWRT Safety Handbook in Lahore
IAWRT welcomes Ian Phillips, the new director of the UN Department of Global Communications News and Media Division.
According to UN DGC, Ian joins DGC after 30 years of working in international news agency journalism around the world. During his career as a reporter, editor, and news director he has been posted to Buenos Aires, Paris, London, Prague, Cairo, and New York. Most recently he has served as Vice President of International News for the Associated Press. He will officially start with DGC next month.
https://iawrt.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ian-philips.jpeg225225adminhttp://iawrt.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/logo.pngadmin2023-03-22 23:45:282023-03-22 23:45:32Ian Phillips is the Director of DGC’s News and Media Division
Organized as a side event of the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in cooperation with the International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT), a DGC- associated NGO.
Innovative technology is playing a significant role in creating opportunities for women and girls in media. With the rise of social media, women can now share their stories and experiences directly with the world, bypassing traditional gatekeepers in the media industry. This has led to a proliferation of new voices and perspectives, creating a more diverse and representative media landscape.
One of the biggest challenges faced by women in media is the lack of representation and representation at decision-making levels. However, women leaders in media are making a change by breaking the mold and using their platforms to give voice to the stories and experiences of women and girls.
Women leaders in media are leveraging technology to create new opportunities for women and girls in the media industry. For instance, by harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, women leaders are able to automate tasks that were previously performed by humans, freeing up time for creative and strategic thinking. This has the potential to level the playing field for women and girls, who are often held back by gender-based discrimination and biases.
Another example of how women leaders in media are making innovative technology work for women and girls is through the use of virtual and augmented reality. These technologies are being used to create immersive experiences that educate, entertain and engage women and girls, encouraging them to be active participants in media and storytelling.
We cannot look at this topic without taking into consideration the digital human rights aspect to innovative technology as laid out in the Secretary General roadmap for Digital Transformation 2020. He highlighted the need for due diligence in addressing the broad use of digital technology as mechanisms of ‘surveillance, suppression, censorship, and sexual harassment’ of vulnerable groups.
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Last February 26, 2023, the International Association of Women in Radio and Television – Philippines held a paralegal training on how counter-terrorism measures impact free speech and the practice journalism.
“Current counter-terrorism measures in the Philippines have a profound and grave impact on free speech and press freedom,” said the secretary general of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) and human rights lawyer Josalee Deinla, who discussed the issue currently faced by society regarding counter-terrorism.
During the training, Deinla noted that there has been a so-called “security pandemic” all over the world since the 9/11 attacks in 2001.
Various entities intrinsic to the global counter-terrorism architecture have emerged. Then UN secretary-general Kofi Annan reminded that counter-terrorism measures must not unduly curtail human rights.
“The proliferation of security measures to counter terrorism and the adoption of measures that restrict civic space are happening simultaneously,” Deinla explained.
As the security space is ramped up, she said that it leads to the narrowing of the civic space.
“Unfortunately, human rights or civic space are being marginalized under this context.”
In recent times, there has been no balance between the civic space and the security space, and no region or country is immune to the “security pandemic.” The Philippines is among those affected by this counter-terrorism architecture.
“What is happening in the Philippines is not different from what is happening in other countries because of the UN Security Council resolution and the recommendations of various international bodies,” Deinla shared.
Human rights concerns
The international counter-terrorism architecture is characterized by a blanket approach to counter-terrorism legislation as there is no universal or single definition of terrorism all over the world.
“That is one of the problems that human rights experts have had for a long time, the lack of an agreed definition of terrorism and even violent extremism,” Deinla said.
States, she added, are free to define the term however they wish to, “so there is a problem with its interpretation in terms of broadness and this could violate the rights of the citizens.”
There is also a polarizing rhetoric, “You’re either with us or not with us,” wherein those who question the legitimacy of counter-terrorism measures are voices being silenced.
Impact of counter-terrorism laws on free speech and press freedom
In recent years, among the most contentious was the passing of an anti-terror law in the Philippines.
“The counter-terrorism measures in the Philippines have led to a curtailment of legitimate exercises of fundamental freedoms,” Deinla said.
There is a broad definition of the term terrorism in Section 4 of the Anti-Terrorism Act or Republic Act 11479.
While the capacity of the Anti-Terrorism Act is not limited to the context of criminal prosecution, the concept of terrorism has been conveniently used to delegitimize independent media and stifle or censor free speech. In June 2022, Bulatlat, Pinoy Weekly and other websites were censored by the National Telecommunications Commission in compliance with a blocking order from national security adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr.
The same year, the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino (KWF) ordered the cessation publication of five books that allegedly incite terrorism, including “Kalatas: Mga Kuwentong Bayan at Kuwentong Buhay” by Rommel Rodriguez and “Labas: Mga Palabas sa Labas ng Sentro” by Reuel Aguila.
The ban was lifted after three KWF commissioners withdrew their signatures, voiding the said memorandum.
A popular bookstore, Solidaridad, was also red-tagged for selling books with content that allegedly incites terrorism, and its façade was tagged with spray paint.
“In the Philippine context, restrictions on free speech engendering the government’s concept of terrorism compel journalists, artists, writers, and ordinary citizens to be wary of their vulnerability to prosecution for terrorism-related offenses concerning speech,” Deinla said.
With this, there may be a need to re-examine the Philippines’ context of the chilling effect on speech.
“For freedom of speech and of the press to have any meaning, it must likewise protect expression that challenges the status quo,” Deinla added.
About IAWRT Digital Safe House for Filipino Women Journalists
This is the second part of the paralegal training conducted in line with IAWRT’s Digital Safe House for Filipino Women Journalists (https://www.digitalsafehouseph.net/), a one-stop digital hub for women journalists at-risk and those seeking support in the face of online and offline attacks, abuse and violence. The training was attended by the IAWRT executive board, members, and journalism students.
This year, IAWRT eyes the popularization of Digital Safe House for Filipino Women Journalists by promoting it among members of the media and expanding it to members of the organization’s global network. IAWRT Philippines also aims to build capacity and awareness in raising issues related to the safety of women journalists in the Philippines.
https://iawrt.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/0302-iawrt-ph-paralegal-training.jpeg5991017adminhttp://iawrt.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/logo.pngadmin2023-03-02 19:04:462023-03-06 19:06:14IAWRT Philippines holds paralegal training on counter-terrorism and free speech
IAWRT India presents ‘I’m Living It’ on Gender, Climate Change Intersectionalities’ at Alliance Francaise, New Delhi, on 1-3 March 2023.
During the three-day workshop a group of 30 participants from very diverse backgrounds including women from marginalized communities such as tribal, urban and rural poor will join media students to learn how to make short films on mobile phones.
About 10 women from tribal areas and 15 women and adolescent girls from underprivileged urban poor communities around Delhi will participate in the workshop.
The skilling workshop is designed to teach the participants how to tell their stories about the ways in which climate change has impacted their lives and livelihoods with the help of these films.
https://iawrt.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/0301-Climate-change-poster-dated-25th-Feb-11pm-1.png1280809adminhttp://iawrt.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/logo.pngadmin2023-03-01 13:51:252023-03-01 13:51:28IAWRT India workshop on gender and climate change
TALLAHASSEE, FL — 27 FEBRUARY 2023 – The International Association of Women in Radio and Television celebrates the recognition of its President Dr. Michelle Ferrier and TrollBusters with three Anthem Awards this year for its Generation Zeitgeist digital fluency curriculum and its digital harms campaign for journalists in Toxic Avenger magazine.
This is the second year of the Anthem Awards, a global competition to honor social impact work on the world’s most pressing issues. The Anthem Awards was launched in response to the prevalence of social good has taken within the national conversation and cultural zeitgeist in recent years. The 2nd annual competition received nearly 2,000 entries from 43 countries worldwide.
TrollBusters, a project of the Media Innovation Collaboratory, provides just-in-time training, coaching and education to journalists operating in digital spaces. The Anthem Awards honored the work of The Toxic Avenger magazine in the Responsible Technology: Innovation category with a bronze award. The magazine, launched in August 2021 with timely and global examination of the digital landscape, policy and remedies. With monthly analysis of international deliberation on digital expression and tactics for resilience, Toxic Avenger magazine has also honored and amplified the stories of women journalists around the globe who continue to fight for press freedoms.
The Media Innovation Collaboratory and TrollBusters also earned three awards this year amid fierce competition. The digital fluency and resilience program, Generation Zeitgeist: From User to Creator, is a series of short videos and wall posters with graphic representations of digital and virtual spaces. The curriculum uses a graphic recording style and short explainer videos to help young people navigate and own the interwebs. Each poster dives into topics that help readers understand how to safely navigate online. The posters are also recreated as short video explainers on TikTok and other short video platforms where young creators can be found. The program, developed by Dr. Michelle Ferrier, received two Anthem Awards: 1. In the Responsible Tech- Innovation Category, the Generation Zeitgeist program earned a silver award; 2. In the Education, Culture and Arts category, Generation Zeitgeist earned a bronze for nonprofit campaigns.
“TrollBusters and the Media Innovation Collaboratory continue to create tools for digital resilience and expression for women and girls and media workers. Our goal has always been your goal…to keep writing, talking, painting, singing, and by whatever means necessary find new ways to recover your voice online and off,” said IAWRT President Dr. Michelle Ferrier. “Toxic Avenger magazine has been providing deep, thoughtful analysis of newsrooms and journalism practices to provide holistic and healing tactics for dealing with online harms.”
Anthem Winners are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Members include Nicholas Thompson, CEO, The Atlantic, Christina Swarns, Executive Director, Innocence Project, Zarna Surti, Global Creative Director, Nike Purpose, Maurice Mitchell, National Director, Working Families Party, Lindsay Stein, Chief Purpose Office, Tombras, Jennifer Lotito, President & Chief Operating Officer, (RED), Lisa Sherman, President & CEO, The Ad Council, Emily Barfoot, Global Brand Director Dove, Unilever, Trovon Williams, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, NAACP, Roma McCaig, Senior VP of Impact, Clif Bar, Michelle Egan, Chief Strategy Officer, NRDC, Dinah-Kareen Jean, Senior Manager, Social Innovation, Etsy, Sarah Kate Ellis, President & CEO, GLAAD, Jad Finck, Vice President of Innovation & Sustainability, Allbirds, Christopher Miller, Head of Global Activism Strategy, Ben & Jerry’s, Shayla Tait, Director of Philanthropy The Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation.
The Generation Zeitgeist: From User to Creator Digital Resilience Curriculum and Toxic Avenger magazine, developed by Dr. Michelle Ferrier and the Media Innovation Collaboratory, have now earned an additional three Anthem Awards this year for their social impact work on digital harms. In the 2022 Anthem Awards program, TrollBusters and the Media Innovation Collaboratory earned three silver awards for their innovation and public campaign work around digital culture.
“Since launching this platform in June of 2021, we have seen that social change has emerged as a dominant force in mainstream culture,” said Anthem Awards Managing Director Jessica Lauretti.
“The sheer number, breadth and overall quality of the entries shared with us in the 2nd Annual Awards is a testament to the strength of this growing movement and demonstrates an enduring commitment to the work that is both humbling and inspiring to see.”
Fans will be able to hear from social impact leaders and their hallmark speeches at www.anthemawards.com.
The Anthem Award competition, from the same organization that hosts the Webby awards, features the best digital work from around the world in categories such as diversity, equity and inclusion, education, art and culture, health, human and civil rights, humanitarian action and services, responsible technology, and sustainability, environment and climate. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their communities. A portion of program revenue will fund a new grant program supporting emerging individuals and organizations working to advance the causes recognized in the 2nd Annual Anthem Awards.
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ABOUT WINNER
TrollBusters, a project of the Media Innovation Collaboratory, provides just-in-time training, coaching and education to journalists operating in digital spaces. More information is available at www.troll-busters.com. The Media Innovation Collaboratory, is a Tallahassee-based educational nonprofit organization at www.mediacollab.org.
About The Anthem Awards: Launched in 2021 by The Webby Awards, The Anthem Awards honors the purpose & mission-driven work of people, companies and organizations worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, we’re defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their own communities. The Anthem Awards honors work across seven core causes: Diversity; Equity & Inclusion; Education; Art & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Responsible Technology; and Sustainability, Environment & Climate. Founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, Glaad, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF, and XQ.
About The Webby Awards:
Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites; Video; Advertising, Media & PR; Apps, Mobile, and Voice; Social; Podcasts; and Games. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received more than 13,500 entries from all 50 states and 70 countries worldwide this year. The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include Verizon, WP Engine, YouGov, Brandlive, Canva, NAACP, KPMG, Fast Company, Wall Street Journal, MediaPost, Podcast Movement, and AIGA.
https://iawrt.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/0314-anthem-awards.png10302060adminhttp://iawrt.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/logo.pngadmin2023-02-27 15:49:002023-03-14 15:53:57TrollBusters earns three awards for social impact work
The International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT) Afghanistan Chapter is concerned about the arrests and the situation of Afghan journalists in Pakistan.
https://iawrt.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Picture-EC.png143336adminhttp://iawrt.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/logo.pngadmin2023-02-15 15:13:372023-02-15 15:15:22Alert: Arrest of migrants Afghan journalists by the Pakistani police in Islamabad
Film is a powerful tool for social justice. Its central visual quality stimulates human’s most developed sense. Women’s stories in cinema are necessary to advance women and girls’ lives. Yet, a global study (a) conducted five years ago shows that on average only 3% of women directed films are exhibited on main screens throughout the globe. Feminists, like Laura Mulvey (b), who were part of the rebirth of feminist filmmaking in the early 1970s, now over fifty years ago, are alarmed that the progress has been way too slow.
This session is designed to show successful strides women filmmakers have made, yet underscore significant major hurdles that remain. Three filmmakers/advocates – from different continents – will speak about their experiences to bring the cinematic stories of women to a large public audience. They will highlight their work, their teaching, the successes they have achieved and obstacles they have faced. In conclusion, each woman will map next steps that she thinks need to be taken within her immediate sphere as well on a larger political scale. Representatives from two other continents will add their experiences and comments upon the filmmakers’ presentations to deepen and enlarge the discussion. The five women will have a brief exchange among themselves.The last half hour will be Q&A, with a five minute wrap up at the end. A goal of the presentation is to design and direct policy changes. The session will be recorded.
Presenters:
Ariel Dougherty, New Mexico, USA: filmmaker, teacher, co-founder, Women Make Movies, Inc
Aseye Tamakloe, Accra, Ghana: director, WHEN WOMEN SPEAK, Nvida Women’s Film Festival organiser
Paromita Vohra, Mumbai, India: filmmaker, teacher Girls Media Group & founder, Agents of Ishq
with Edel Brosnan, Director of Strategy, European Women’s Audio-Visual Network
& a Representative from Latin America, TBA
(a) https://kinomatics.com/redistributing-gender/
(b) Laura Mulvey and Ariel Dougherty both spoke about this at a 2016 film festival in separate presentations. Laura again states this in the remarkable, must-see documentary, BRAINWASHED: Sex, Camera, Power (1:47 min, 2022) by Nina Menkes
https://iawrt.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Flier-FN-Visual-Visionaries_CSW67-1-scaled.jpeg25601861adminhttp://iawrt.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/logo.pngadmin2023-02-14 23:39:242023-02-16 23:40:30Visual Visionaries: Power of Film and Feminism, Teaching and Technology
“Every time I have a problem, I have confronted it with the axe of art…” Yayoi Kusama
Despite the intense international focus on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 5 that calls for gender equality and an end to violence against women and girls, Gender Based Violence (GBV) is one of the most heinous plagues facing humanity today.
UN Women recently posted that “Globally, an estimated 736 million women—almost one in three—have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once in their life (30 per cent of women aged 15 and older). This figure does not include sexual harassment….” Additionally, during the pandemic in 2020, 81,000 women and girls lost their lives, with 58% of the murders being committed by an intimate partner or family member.
On a global level, artists in their role as societal truth tellers and historians have responded to this issue. Mexican artist Elina Chauvet’s internationally exhibited red shoes represents women who lost their lives violently; Palestinian artist Sherine Abdel Karim’s “Victim” project raises awareness about GBV; British artist Wilma Woolf’s white plate installation represents all the women that have been killed in the UK at the hands of male violence since 2013; US artist Anne Dushanko-Dobek’s graphic installations draw attention to the human trafficking of women; and South Africa based artist Gabrielle Goliath’s work on situations of gendered and sexualized violence, are a sample of the work of brave artists who are using their work to say NO! to Gender-Based Violence.
This CSW67 virtual parallel event seeks to bring together global artists to present and speak about their work. We invite artists world-wide to join us and amplify their collective voices of opposition to Gender Based Violence, and to explore how to imagine a world where women and girls are able to live and thrive in peace.
Submit a photo of your work that focuses on GBV through the link to register.
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IAWRT Cameroon chapter held its first meeting in 2023 on January 16. Chapter head Tchonko Becky Bissong presided over the meeting. The chapter discussed its chapter activities from 2020-2022, financial reports and legal registration. Sidonie Pogmoni presented the resolutions of the IAWRT Biennial Conference 2022, held in November in Tanzania, and also discussed the possibility of pitching to host the next biennial conference.
The chapter also discussed conducting activities in view of 8th March 2023, World Press Freedom Day, Rural Women’s Day, and the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence among others. The group is looking to produce short documentaries on how lack of identification papers hinders the socio-economic evolution of girls and women fleeing conflicts in the North-West and South Region and on the life of internally displaced peoples from Cameroon living in Congo and Nigeria.
The IAWRT Cameroon chapter head thanked all who made time to attend the meeting both physically and virtually, especially Mandira Raut, IAWRT Board secretary and for active participation evident in the rich contributions and ideas to boost our activities.
https://iawrt.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/0128-iawrt-cameroon.png525941adminhttp://iawrt.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/logo.pngadmin2023-01-26 19:07:002023-03-06 19:09:19IAWRT Cameroon holds first meeting in 2023
