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The WomMed/FemMed Network brings together women and men from around the world who are working together to redress gender-balance in access to expression and decision-making in the media, reaffirming the importance of fluid and pluralistic communication for women's full participation in society and promoting all forms of democratic communication.
The Network was created by the participants of the Toronto International Symposium "Women and the Media: Access to Expression and Decision-making", organized by UNESCO in March 1995.
The Network's goals are to carry out and facilitate implementation of the recommendations of the Toronto Platform for Action and the Beijing Platform for Action, at local, national, regional and international levels, as well as to offer mutual support and solidarity between members involved in such endeavors.
How does WomMed/FemMed operate? What does it offer its members? It is a decentralized network, with no formal structure nor general assembly. Its members seek to develop local or regional actions in concertation with other members. It operates through the exchange of information, experiences and human resources in support of these initiatives.
Members can present proposals to the Network to solicit opinions or support; exchange on issues of common interest; develop autonomous actions with other members; participate in the organization and animation of the Network; establish local collaboration between those that have access to technology and those that do not. In brief, create a solidarity network around a common objective, which depends on the creative and committed action of its members.
Membership: Members of the WomMed Network support the recommendations of the Toronto and Beijing Platforms for Action and are actively committed to promoting their implementation, in accordance with their particular needs and possibilities.
They include, among others, professional communicators and people who use the media for sustainable and democratic development initiatives.
The founding members are participants and observers of the Toronto Symposium. The Network gathered a great number of its members and also adherents during the Fourth United Nations Conference on Women in Beijing, in September 1995. Other interested persons can fill in the membership form, indicating their personal details and field of action in relation to women and the media. The Network at present has 340 members.
Exchange Bulletin: The Network produces an information and exchange bulletin three times a year, in print and electronic form, to which members are invited to contribute news of their activities, articles, projects, ideas, resources, etc. There will be a two-month notice call for contributions prior to every next issue of the bulletin. Documents are published in English, French or Spanish, depending on the language in which they are received.
Discussion list: The fem-wommed discussion list is an electronic space where members of the WomMed/FemMed network can communicate interactively, exchange resources and information and start a dialogue on issues related to women in the media and follow-up to Toronto and Beijing Conferences; offer or request solidarity and give mutual support; identify potential strategies for future networking.
UNESCO and the FemMed/Wommed Network: The 28th General Conference of UNESCO (October 1995) unanimously adopted the Toronto Platform for Action and called for implementation of its resolutions, particularly in the framework of WomMed.
UNESCO is prepared to animate the decentralized Network, by editing its information bulletin and by active participation in the electronic exchange list.
The Organization is willing to support, within its possibilities and under certain conditions, those initiatives undertaken jointly by Network members. This support may include contributing its experience, contact with potential collaborators, information, documentation, or funding.
The FemMed / WomMed web-site is edited by the Women's Program of ALAI. ALAI also adminsters the network's mailing list and is a reference point for the network in Latin America.