Jordan Times
Wednesday, September 7, 2005
Princess Basma commends
achievements of Arab media women
By Dalya Dajani
AMMAN — Leading Arab women in the media on Tuesday said it was crucial to build
a stronger regional network to help develop their professional capacities and
enable them to rise to the political challenges of this era.
The 4th Arab Women Media Conference, which opened here yesterday, featured some
of the region's leading figures in the Arab print, audio and visual media.
Addressing the gathering, HRH Princess Basma, patron of the event, said: “The
role of media in general and Arab media women in particular, constitutes an
effective contribution to forming a public opinion that supports women's
progress and widens their participation in scientific, intellectual and
political fields... this role is one major factor of conveying women's demands
and aspirations.”
“We must proudly point out the achievements and efforts of hundreds of Arab
media women and their sisters in other sectors to change several laws and
regulations, gain support and form a political will backing women's issues,” she
added.
Sana Mansour, an Egyptian presenter of a political programme on satellite
television and a pioneer in the Arab media field, said women have proved
themselves as capable and highly skilled individuals over recent years.
“Women have long been referred to as having constituted half of the media
community, but thanks to their high aspirations, they have grown to dominate
nearly three-quarters of this sphere today,” said Mansour.
“From beating off criticism to standing firm on the battlefields in Iraq and
Palestine, they have proven to have what it takes to do the job, which makes us
all very proud,” she added.
During the opening session yesterday, Mansour touched upon the need to further
build on the experiences gained so as to be prepared to face the challenges of
the volatile Middle East region.
She said women should take the reins of change at this turning point in the
region's history, to reassert their position through greater advocacy and
support networks from other women in the field.
The 2-day conference, organised by the Arab Women Media Centre and Konrad
Adenauer Foundation (KAF), will feature discussions on key topics related to
women's media issues.
Around 42 women from Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria,
Qatar, Bahrain Egypt, Yemen, Sudan, Oman and the UK are participating in the
conference.
In addition, 30 Jordanian women representing the press, radio, television,
international magazines and satellite channels are taking part in the meeting.
Working papers highlighting experiences and visions from different Arab
countries on Arab media, women's role in political change and reform, and the
impact of political and economic changes will be presented over the next two
days.
Discussions, during the conference, will also focus on professional standards
for women in media, and tackle the sensitive issue of how to fight corruption in
Arab media institutions, according to the organisers.
Mansour urged participants to take the time to hold constructive discussions on
these issues and come up with practical recommendations in building a media
strategy to help women tackle the challenges of political change.
KAF Regional Representative Hardy Ostry said the conference served as a platform
for discussions that could lead women to influence change for the better in
meeting their needs.
Ostry said the entire region was passing through a wave of political changes and
new beginnings, citing as examples the reform process in Jordan, the uprising in
Lebanon, the first municipal elections in Saudi Arabia, the first Arab woman
minister in Kuwait and the reconciliation commission in Morocco.
“It is obvious that something is moving forward in the region, there is courage
and risk-taking, more openness...,” said Hardy.
He urged communities not to fall into being passively subjected to political
change, but rather participate and help shape political transformation in their
favour.