This research is spearheaded by the Johannesburg-based Gender and Media Diversity Centre (GMDC), a virtual and physical network of groups and individuals committed to issues of gender and diversity in, and through, the media; and by Gender Links (GL), a regional NGO also based in Johannesburg.

The workshop, entitled “The Mainstreaming of Gender in Journalism Curriculum and Institutional Policies”, will be held in Windhoek, Namibia, on 23 November 2009. It takes place within the framework of UNESCO's activities aimed at increasing awareness and building capacities in order to protect the rights of women and girls. It is also in line with the programme “Setting Things Right towards Gender Equality and Equity”, developed by UNDP’s MDG Achievement Fund.

The workshop will analyse the findings of the Audit that focused on:

• to what extent gender is integrated in media education and training;
  
• identifying gaps in current media/journalism education and training in Namibia with regard to mainstreaming gender in the curriculum, demographics and overall attitudes;
  
• whether or not Gender Links, as well as other gender and media tools (including texts, materials and electronic resources) are being used in media education and training in the two institutions in Namibia; and
  
• the development of strategic interventions to ensure sustained gender mainstreaming in media education and training.

The ultimate goal is to develop media training curriculum for journalism students at the University of Namibia (UNAM) and the Polytechnic of Namibia, which would incorporate gender.