The key objective of the Forum will be to form a Global Alliance for Media and Gender. The Forum will foster debate, provide training, encourage the sharing of experiences and host a high level session, which will be informed by the consensus of all stakeholders, and which will design the Global Alliance for the “Women and Media Follow-up” of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

There is a need for representation at the Forum from all regions of the world and from as many countries as possible. The event will, therefore, be attended by representatives of media houses,  broadcasting and journalists’ unions/associations, community media networks, NGOs advocating for gender equality and women’s empowerment, journalism education organizations and other related training institutions, media self-regulatory bodies, policy makers, relevant government bodies etc.

It will be a process that will commence long before December 2013 and will include preparatory online consultations and meetings linked to other related and already planned events in all regions. Women with the Wave regional meeting, organized by the Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union, is one such example which was supported by UNESCO.

UNESCO invites donors and other stakeholders to join forces to address one of the most important development issues of our time, gender equality and women’s empowerment. Please visit UNESCO’s website for further information or contact Alton Grizzle.