PLAN OF ACTION

A. PROJECTS AT A NATIONAL LEVEL

PROJECT 1: Gender Awareness Workshop for Media

Summary:

This project will use the most recent GMMP findings and the timeline for the project will be 2008 – 2011.

Objectives: To sensitize the media to the importance of including a gender perspective or analysis in their news coverage; Capacity- building activities, enabling the media to use gender sensitive language in order to minimize g ender stereotyping; To encourage the media's use of GMMP research findings.

Target Audience:

Editors, sub-editors, journalists, radio disc jockeys, news presenters, freelancers, civil society groups that produce media features, government information service, media policy makers, Broadcast Commissions; Ministries of Transport, Communication and Tourism etc.

PROJECT 2: Civil Society Media and Gender Awareness Project

Summary:

This project will target civil society, with specific emphasis on youth groups. The decision to focus on youth groups is based on two key factors: (i) the short life span of the project, which may not allow for activities that would cover the broad spectrum of CSO's; and (ii) the belief that this audience will be more receptive to interventions aimed at changing cultural values and norms in the areas of gender and the media. The project will be completed in two phases.

Objectives:

To increase people's awareness of gender as it relates to the media, in order to facilitate their participation as media 'watchdogs'. Phase one: Hold awareness sessions with groups with proven experience in activism; Phase two: Select participants (from the first phase) with clear leadership skills to train as PEER EDUCATORS. These peer educators will function as a satellite group, and will then continue the awareness in other community groups; Incorporate popular education and interactive sessions.

Target Audiences:

Civil society organizations and community groups.

B. PROJECTS AT A REGIONAL LEVEL

PROJECT 3: Regional GMMP Training of Trainers

Summary:

This project will use the most recent GMMP findings and the timeline for the project will be 2008 – 2011. The regional training will be a preparatory step towards WACC's GMMP Monitoring in 2010. The training will be offered to persons who will participate in the next round of GMMP monitoring, and will draw on the expertise of past participants. The proposed venue for the regional training is Grenada; and the target countries are: Jamaica, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Grenada, Haiti, Barbados, Belize, St. Lucia, Antigua, Curacao, Cuba, Santo Domingo, Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Vincent & the Grenadines and Anguilla.

Objectives:

To develop a cadre of dedicated individuals who will be able to effectively participate in the 2010 GMMP monitoring; and in the long term, to produce regional statistics on gender issues within the news media.

Target Group:

The regional training will be provided for two participants from each territory

PROJECT 4: Research into Codes of Practice, Codes of Conduct, Style Books, Codes of Ethics

Summary:

As a follow up activity to the regional training outlined above (Project three), research will be conducted to provide a broad understanding of the policy guidelines and practices employed by the regional media industry. Participants of the regional GMMP training workshop will be required to collect data, at the national level, on codes of conduct and practice etc. Coming out of this, a regional workshop will be held, with the objective of developing a Plan of Action for further intervention.

Objectives:

To develop standardized codes and practices for media practitioners, both at the national and regional levels.

PROJECT 5: Gender Intervention in all communication courses for Community Colleges

Summary:

Recognising that most media workers are trained at the community college level, the aim of the project will be to integrate gender into their curriculum, thus sensitizing them to their role in producing gender aware news reports. The proposed output will be the introduction of 'gender issues' into existing curricula.

Objectives:

To sensitize journalists to gender and media issues during their basic training.

Target group:

Tertiary institutions in the Caribbean offering communication courses accessed by journalists and trainees. Emphasis will be placed on community colleges.

PROJECT 6: Regional Directory of Female Experts and Spokespersons

Summary:

This project will provide media houses with a regional directory of female experts and spokespersons, collectively representing a broad range of knowledge on diverse issues. At the national level, participating organisations will compile a list of female experts and spokespersons with an interest in working with the media. This national-level research will be fed into the completion of a regional directory.

Objectives:

Based on the understanding that the news media typically portrays men in positions of authority, the directory will provide media persons with a clear and user friendly directory of female experts and spokespersons who are also 'media-friendly', ie, willing to facilitate the media by giving expert analysis and interviews.

Target group:

Regional media houses, community radio programmes, government information services.

Kingston, Jamaica April 10 – 12, 2008

For more information, please see Women's Media Watch website

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