Gender and tolerance on agenda of World Congress of Journalists
IFJ's World Congress took place from 28 May to 1 June 2007 in Moscow, Russia.
The World Congress of Journalists, organized every three years by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), gathered this year some thousand participants who discussed the role of journalists in modern society and the role of media in war and conflict.
Addressing the topic of impunity against journalists at the opening ceremony, Abdul Waheed Khan, UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information warned that "violence against media professionals is on the rise and constitutes one of the greatest threats to freedom of expression and freedom of the press".
Among the most attended events within the Congress were two UNESCO round tables on the role of the media in overcoming gender stereotypes and responsibility of journalists in fostering mutual understanding in post conflict areas. About two hundred experts, media professionals and academics attended these sessions.
According to Aidan White, IFJ's General Secretary, media organizations and unions of journalists must work harder to eliminate the scourge of discrimination across the media industry. "Women are still denied access to top jobs, they have inferior working conditions and they are still witnesses to outdated and oppressive images of the role of women in society," he said.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is the one of the largest organizations of media professionals representing around 500,000 members in more than 100 countries. IFJ maintains official relations with UNESCO.
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