′′The right to freedom to practice media, express opinion and protection of journalists′′

IAWRT member from Palestine Benaz Batrawi, a media professor, is among the signatories of the statement issued by academics and media professors on July 3, 2021.

“It was a call to defend the freedom of speech and explanation how we can do that as media academics,” said Batrawi.

Batrawi is a trainer and consultant in communication for development at Medianet office and used to be a lecturer at Al-Quds University and Open University. She holds a B.A. in Economics from Bier Ziet University in Palestine, a Master’s Degree in New Media and Digital Culture from the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and another Master’s Degree in Mass Communication from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. She was also part of the 2003 Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program at the Missouri School of Journalism. 

Press freedom statement

“The Fourth Estate must be protected, maintained, and employed with its full powers of coverage, expression, investigation, accountability, change, protection of freedoms, fighting corruption and tyranny, raising the voice of the individual and victory for human rights and national issues within the standards of media and journalistic work in one word,” the statement asserted.

They recognized the importance of the role of the media in maintaining civil peace and in delivering information to the public.

The signatories stressed the necessity of the commitment of the official authorities and the security, legal, and trade union governing bodies to the protection and impunity of the media work environment in the entire Palestinian arena, and to ensure the safety of journalists during the performance of their duties, which are considered a societal, human, moral and professional right. 

They also give support for press work and media coverage in all its forms as a top priority to maintain the momentum of the growing and escalating national situation and the confrontation with the occupation on all Palestinian soil. 

They also demand the issuance of an amendment to the Basic Law on the protection of freedom of expression and freedom of the press and considering that any attack on freedoms is a crime punishable by law.

The statement was signed by media professors from Al-Quds University, Bethlehem University, Birzeit University, Arab American University, Al-Quds Bard College, Al-Quds Open University, Palestine Technical Kadoorie, Al-Ahliyya Palestine University, and An-Najah National University among many others.

IAWRT Philippines members who were imprisoned join literary folio on women political prisoners in the Philippines.

In the book, Frenchie Mae Cumpio wrote an open letter titled “Love means fighting back”, tackling her choice of work and giving words of encouragement to her family, friends, and supporters.

Lady Ann Salem wrote of her much-dreaded transfer to the Philippines’ infamously over-congested and dilapidated city jails and the first two weeks of her incarceration.

There are now 715 political prisoners in the Philippines of whom 132 or around 18.5 percent are women. One of them is a journalist.

The detained journalist is Frenchie Mae Cumpio, journalist and Executive Director of alternative media outfit Eastern Vista that is based in Tacloban—the area ravaged by typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013. She was arrested and detained since February 7, 2020, following a police raid on the media outfit’s office via search warrant for firearms and what many decried as planted evidence. She experienced surveillance and harassment days before her arrest. Her trial continues and she has been detained for 17 months now.

She is the second of three women journalists jailed so far during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. Two others have been released. All three are IAWRT Philippines members.

The first is Anne Krueger of alternative media outfit Panghimutad, raided by police in a similar fashion and whose search warrant only bore “yellow house” instead of a specific address mandated by the Constitution. She was among more than 50 activists, workers, peasant women arrested from October 30 to 31 in simultaneous police raids in search of guns and explosives. She was detained for 11 days, one of those days in the infamous overcrowded city jails in the country before she was allowed to post bail. Her trial continues.

The third is Lady Ann Salem, one of the now-called Human Rights Day 7, arrested on December 10, 2020. It was also the last day of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. She was arrested in a similar fashion and charges as Frenchie and Anne, and also the same judge as Anne issuing the search warrant against Manila Today’s home office during the pandemic. She is editor of the said digital publication and also communication officer of IAWRT, roles she resumed following her March 5, 2021 release from prison and February 5 case dismissal.  

Political prisoners, also called prisoners of conscience—imprisoned for their political activities, their affiliation, or beliefs but usually slapped with common crimes—are languishing in the overcrowded jails in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

These numbers and these stories are some of those recounted in the literary folio and the book launch of “SaLoobin: Mga Akda ng/para sa Kababaihang Bilanggong Pulitikal.” The work is published by political prisoners’ kin group Kapatid and feminist publishing house Gantala Press.

The book launch was held on July 18, observed internationally as Nelson Mandela Day. Mandela was himself a pollical prisoner detained for 27 years.

The book is an almost women-only written collection of poems, stories, songs, and essays of political prisoners but also their supporters from outside the walls of the prison.

Philippine Senator Leila M. De Lima also contributed a poem “Pinay, Malaya at Nagpapasya.”

IAWRT continues to call on the release of Frenchie Mae Cumpio and the dismissal of charges against Anne Krueger.

The book is available at the online shopping app Shopee or Gantala Press’ online store.

Forum to generate action for the rapid advancement of gender justice held from June 30 to July 2

The three-day Generation Equality Forum Paris concluded on July 2, announcing USD 40 billion of confirmed investments and the launch of a Global Acceleration Plan to advance gender equality by 2026.

UN Women said the monumental conclusion of the forum comes at a critical moment as the world assesses the disproportionate and negative impact that COVID-19 has had on women and girls. Gender equality advocates have pressed for gender-responsive stimulus and recovery plans to ensure that women and girls are not left behind as the world rebuilds.

The USD 40-billion investments confirmed at the Forum’s close was seen to represent a major step-change in resourcing for women’s and girls’ rights. Lack of financing was thought to be a major reason for slow progress in advancing gender equality and in enacting the women’s rights agenda of the milestone 1995 Beijing Conference.

The financial commitments that make up the USD 40 billion are as follows:

• USD 21 billion in gender equality investments from governments and public sector institutions had committed
• USD 13 billion from the private sector
• USD 4.5 billion from Philanthropy
• USD 1.3 billion from UN entities, international and regional organizations.

Many organizations made strong policy and program commitments, including 440 civil society organizations and 94 youth-led organizations. More are expected to make commitments over the next five years and follow in the footsteps of the approximately 1,000 commitment-makers confirmed to date.

“The Generation Equality Forum marks a positive, historic shift in power and perspective. Together we have mobilized across different sectors of society, from south to north, to become a formidable force, ready to open a new chapter in gender equality,” said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women.

UN Women will play a critical role in overseeing the implementation of commitments to ensure accountability and progress over the next five years.

“By implementing a new way of tackling global issues through efficient multilateralism, the Generation Equality Forum reversed the priorities on the international agenda and made gender equality, for too long underestimated, a long-term issue for the international community, along with climate, education and health. France will continue to be at the forefront to accelerate gender equality progress,” Ambassador and Secretary-General of the Generation Equality Forum Delphine O said.

Speaking to mark the close of the Forum for the Government of France, the host of the Paris Forum, she said, “We succeeded in raising the largest amount of investment to advance gender equality and women’s rights ever.”

Some examples of a wide range of commitments from every sector:

• The Government of Burkina Faso’s work with Benin, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Togo to develop shared commitments related to family life education; free care for pregnant women and children under five years; and pursuing legal and social change to end gender-based violence, including FGM and child marriage
• The United States Government’s commitment to a range of significant policies and investment requests including an investment of USD 1 billion to support programmes to end violence against women, and USD 175 million to prevent and respond to gender-based violence globally
• The expansion of the Global Alliance for Care, initiated by the Government of Mexico and UN Women. This now includes over 39 countries; for example, the Government of Canada’s commitment of USD 100 million to address inequalities in the care economy globally, as a parallel to significant investment in its own care system
• The Malala Fund’s commitment to provide at least USD 20 million in feminist funding to girls education activists
• P&G’s commitment to advance women’s economic justice and rights through its global value chain by spending USD 10 billion with women-owned and women-led businesses through 2025
• The Government of Bangladesh’s pledge to increase women’s participation in the ICT sector, including the tech start-up and e-commerce sector, to 25 per cent by 2026 and 50 per cent by 2041.
• PayPal’s commitment of USD 100 million to advance women’s economic empowerment
• Raise Your Voice Saint Lucia’s commitment to collaborate with Caribbean NGOs to advocate for the recognition of the LGBTQI+ community and to undertake region-wide legislative reform to minimize discrimination and victimization
• Open Society Foundation’s commitment of at least USD 100 million over five years to fund feminist political mobilization and leadership

The Forum in Paris engaged nearly 50,000 people in a mainly virtual format.

Source: UN Women

Register in advance for this online discussion on July 23, 9 am Eastern time

The Generation Equality Forum in Paris has come to an end. But as has been said, reported, and reaffirmed, much needs to be done for gender equality 25 years after the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China in 1995.

With that in mind, the IAWRT-USA chapter and the Media Innovation Collaboratory are hosting a conversation with journalists, entrepreneurs, advocates, and historians titled “With Liberty and Inclusive Technologies for All.”

The internet is weaponized globally and thwarting many from sharing locally relevant and useful information and sharing stories from those communities. Unregulated and unaccountable social media corporations can summarily suspend or silence participants without any recourse, algorithms can drive or dry up the flow.

For women, online and physical attacks serve a double blow – to their private lives and to their professional mobility.

How might we build on the inter-generational knowledge and resilience of courageous women journalists like Ida B Wells, Kagure Gageche, and Lillian Van Der Goot to create safe and healing spaces for inclusive narratives?

The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Michelle Ferrier, Executive Director, Media Innovation Collaboratory, and founder of Trollbusters, a just-in-time service that helps journalists fight online abuse. Michelle can be reached at [email protected]

Panelists include Autumn Slaughter, Judy Gilbert, Shireen Mitchell, Marry Ferreira, and Gerd Inger Polden.

Autumn Slaughter is a Clinical Psychology Doctoral Candidate, Research Assistant for the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, The University of Tulsa. 

Judy Gilbert is a Zen priest and former Manager of International Production at Netscape.

Shireen Mitchell is the founder/senior strategist of Stop Online Violence Against Women and founder of Digital Sisters/as, the first organization to specifically focus on women and girls of color in technology and digital media. Mitchell can be reached @digitalsista on Twitter.

Marry Ferreira (she/her) is a Brazilian journalist and UN Youth Representative for IAWRT-USA. She holds a master’s degree in Public Media from Fordham University, New York, and is the co-founder of Kilomba Collective, the first collective to specifically focus on Black Brazilian immigrants women, and girls in the United States. Her Twitter is @Marry_Ferreira.

Gerd Inger Polden is a retired TV director, producer, and video journalist from the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) and former IAWRT Vice President of the International Board.

Ananya Chakraborti is a national award-winning documentary filmmaker and journalist, specializing in trafficking and other gender issues. She is also the Chairperson of the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights. 

Sara Chitambo is a filmmaker, community builder, and communications strategist based in Johannesburg. She currently works as a Communications consultant for UNFPA.

Updates: registration is still ongoing, the program is out now, and the Beijing+25 Memories & Messages e-book is now online

The Generation Equality Forum from June 30 to July 2 will be held in Paris and virtually. 

In what is projected as the largest global feminist gathering since the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, the Generation Equality Forim in Paris will see world leaders and activists coming together to make game-changing commitments and bold actions to push forward gender equality. 

The Paris Forum will unveil a Global Acceleration Plan for Gender Equality, formally launch six Action Coalitions and a Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action, and announce new equality initiatives focused on health, sport, culture and education.

These global, multi-stakeholder partnerships are expected to create impact for women and girls everywhere through initiatives and investments to bridge the most critical and persistent gender equality gaps.

Registration has been extended and will remain open during the Forum.

The program has also been made available so participants can plan their participation among the 90 events involving 500 panelists. Participants are also advised to review the community rules for the Forum. 

The online book of memorabilia from the 1995 Beijing Conference and anecdotes of women’s efforts to forward gender equality then and now has also been made available to the public. The 148-page book is a visual easy-read, containing photos and videos, some will take the reader to a trip down memory lane. Contributions from women from Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Cameroon, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, India, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Sweden, UK, and US made up the memento.