The Third Arab Women Journalist conference: issues of concern

The Arab Women's Media Centre (AWMC) held its Third conference in Amman - Jordan, at 26th to 28th June 2004, under HRH patronage of Princess Bassma Bint Talal with the participation of media practitioners and analysts from Jordan and Arab states and Arab Women Journalists living in UK, USA, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Oman, Syria, Kuwait, Tunisia, Algeria, UAE and Yemen, Palestine, and the USA, also UK.

Jordan was well represented through the effective participation of 40 women working in various media agencies in the kingdom.

Participants applauded the AWMC's initiative in convening a regional conference, devising the program and bringing together a distinguished gathering of media experts from such a large number of Arab states.

In an inaugural speech Jordanian Minister of Political Development and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Mohammad Daoudiyeh said the Jordanian government is exerting efforts to eliminate all laws that discriminate against women.

"The government is working seriously to erase any legislative discrimination against women and to ensure their right to live with dignity and pride," the minister said.

Daoudiyeh was addressing over 80 local and Arab female journalists who gathered in the capital for the Third Arab Women Journalist Conference -- a three-day workshop organised by the Arab Women Media Center.

The conference objectives include updating the national media strategy based on press freedom and expression, as well as ethics, democracy, equality, networking and media training.

The minister revealed during a lecture he delivered on reform and political development -- A Jordanian vision -- that the government plans to allocate a certain amount of money to support political parties.

Turning to the issue of honour crimes, the minister said the government has been doing its utmost to address this problem, and "the government's efforts received Royal family backing... But there are strong conservative powers in the Jordanian community that are fighting any efforts geared towards this problem." He added that women's groups did not lobby hard and did not coordinate their efforts in a well-organised manner in order to push for ending these crimes and changing discriminatory legislation.

Annually, between 20-25 women are reportedly killed by their male relatives in the Kingdom in so-called honour crimes.

In most cases, the killers end up receiving prison terms ranging from three months to two years in prison.

He said women's groups' efforts in this issue were weak and scattered. "In order for them to make significant changes, they should organise themselves and lobby the deputies before putting the issue for discussion," he added.

During the morning session journalists from Yemen, Tunisia, Palestine and Algeria shared their experiences and the obstacles facing their profession.

Journalist Hiba Assaf from Ramallah said although the Palestinian Press Law guaranteed freedom of expression for the media, women journalists still suffered from discrimination at work.

"Female reporters are still getting paid less than their male colleagues. Also, their field of coverage is limited to women and children's issues," Assaf explained.

Algerian reporter Ayshah Mohamadieh said press reform would never see the light "as long as Arab governments still monitor and oppress the media." "How can we talk about press freedom and political development if we are oppressed?" Mohamadieh said.

"Should we depend on impaired and defeated organisations to be responsible for citizens' political, cultural and educational development?" she added.