Gender and ethnicity in focus at upcoming Myanmar Media Development Conference
The fifth Myanmar Media Development Conference, tentatively scheduled for 7-8 November in Yangon, will zoom in on issues of gender and ethnicity in Myanmar media
This was the message coming out of a preparatory steering committee meeting on 1 October in which Minister of Information Dr Pe Myint took part in discussions on the theme and agenda of the upcoming annual conference.
Myanmar media stakeholders gathered along with International Media Support (IMS) and Fojo Media Institute, as well as other media development INGOs on 1 October the Myanmar News Media Council to develop the agenda for the upcoming conference. The event has become a symbol of the commitment of both government and media stakeholders in the country to continue to push forward on media reforms.
The Myanmar media sector has been undergoing rapid change over the course of the last few years. Since the discontinuation of prior censorship in 2012, Myanmar has seen improvements such as the legal reforms of the News Media Law, the formation of journalists’ associations such as the Myanmar Journalists’ Network and the Myanmar Women Journalists’ Society and the establishment of an independent regulatory body for the media in the form of the News Media Council. The annual Media Development Conference has been and continues to be an integral part of this process, in which government officials, editors and academics discuss and debate media reforms, license and ownership issues and much more.
“The Myanmar Media Development Conference is one of the only open forums on media development in Myanmar, and it allows for two days of intense dialogue amongst all stakeholders including the government,” says Glen Swanson, Programme coordinator, IMS-Fojo Myanmar.
“The current media environment in Myanmar demands that such a forum take place in order to ensure accountability for change in the media sector.”
Issues of gender and ethnicity in Myanmar media will be given special prominence during this year’s discussions. Media workers in Myanmar’s ethnic states often face challenges in making their voices heard due to limited access to media infrastructure and professional training, and Myanmar media is marked by a lack of both women in decision-making positions and of support mechanisms for female journalists. One session in particular will be devoted to a discussion of gender issues, and Conference organisers will strive to achieve a more balanced gender representation among panellists for every session. Additionally, the Conference this year will feature panels with a majority of Myanmar nationals rather than international speakers.
Beginning in 2012, the Media Development Conferences have served as a yearly opportunity for media stakeholders from across Myanmar to enter into direct dialogue with government representatives on issues related to the development of their rapidly-changing media sector. It is a rare chance for those who work in the media industry to speak face-to-face with officials responsible for media policy reform. IMS has been heavily involved with the Conference from its inception, working to bridge the gap between the government and media stakeholders, and, in its new Myanmar-country partnership with Fojo Media Institute, continues to be instrumental in organising and facilitating the event.
The Myanmar Media Development Conference will take place 7-8 November in Yangon. For more information about the previous conferences organised by the Ministry of Information in cooperation with UNESCO, International Media Support and a number of other partners, visit http://www.myanmarmediadevelopment.org.
International Media Support and Fojo Media Institute are implementing a three year programme that supports Myanmar media partners in their efforts to develop independent and accountable media as a driver of positive social and political change. The programme focuses on media-related law and policy-making, professionalisation of journalists and ethical standards and strengthening of community media.
