International women's day & Media and Information Literacy

Today is International Women's Day. UNESCO launched the 2011 edition of Women Make the News, "a global initiative aimed at promoting gender equality in the media ... The theme for this year, Media and Information Literacy and Gender, aims to improve understanding about gender perspectives in the media and information systems."
In particular UNESCO is asking for people to contribute their stories about using Media and Information Literacy (MIL) to raise awarness about gender and equality issues. I think the idea is that media organisations should show how they address the issue, and also that part of MIL education should be sensitivity to gender issues when evaluating information and news. "... share your thoughts on how MIL can help women and men understand gender equality and to challenge the media to address this issue. Are you promoting or do you have plans to promote MIL in your media organization? How are you doing this? Do you think MIL can help to address gender equality? What programmes or activities have you implemented in your countries and communities? What were some of your challenges? How did you involve the media, women and men? What are some of the creative ways you have used MIL to mainstream gender issues?"
This is the website for Women Make the news (it has a link to contribute your story, on the right side of the page): http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/crosscutting-priorities/gender/women-make-the-news/
MIL is defined (in the Guidelines for broadcasters on promoting user-generated content and Media and Information Literacy (p10) as "the ability to ‘interpret and make informed judgments as users of information and media, as well as to become skilful creators and producers of information and media messages in their own right’"
Picture: International Women's Day on Minerva island, in Second Life

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