News
In times of crisis, information saves lives. In the response to Covid-19, we see how vital it is to get accurate and trusted messages to people so that they know what...
The global Covid-19 pandemic has shown how vital it is to get accurate and trusted information to communities in languages and channels that they understand. It has also raised awareness...
As Pacific Island Governments work on a coordinated regional response to Covid-19, Tropical Cyclone Harold, which has already hit the Solomon Islands and bears down at category 5 level on...
WACC is surveying its community media partners on their response to COVID-19 and their needs to help keep the communities they serve informed and safe. Community media need your help!...
As part of its efforts to promote communication rights around the world, WACC is proud to announce the launch of its new Communication Rights in a Digital Age Programme.
The programme will support...
WACC announces the launch of a new programmatic focus as part of our efforts to promote communication for all. The new Communication Rights and Migration Programme seeks to enable migrants and host communities to access...
WACC’s response to the ongoing situation regarding COVID-19
For our common good, we need to use and promote technologies to unite people and communities who are divided by adversity.
When the coronavirus...
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Cinema,
News
The 20th European Festival of Religious TV and Online Programmes will not go ahead as scheduled this June in Helsinki, Finland.
The postponement follows a wave of event cancellations worldwide due to the...
While life today is better for a 15-year-old girl in a developing world, she will nonetheless have to keep fighting against tremendous odds because progress made in the last 25...
Inclusion of key stakeholders in text, democratic deliberation’ needed
A group of women’s rights organizations and non-governmental organizations is urging the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) to postpone the...
International Women’s Day (IWD) campaigns step up demands for the respect of women’s basic civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.
This year’s IWD, March 8, 2020, calls us to raise...
A project to establish “communication that brings us together” began with a mix of “great enthusiasm and uncertainty” over a year ago in Colombia, as the country grappled with the...
WACC Global’s quarterly journal, Media Development, has published its first issue of the year, which examines how women around the world are faring 25 years after the Beijing Declaration and Platform for...
In 2019, a year marked by divisive politics, attacks on journalists, xenophobia, digital surveillance and harassment, and other threats to freedom of information and democracy, WACC Global continued to make...
WACC ’s Centre for Communication Rights has co-published Expanding Shrinking Communication Spaces, a new e-book on communication rights and sustainable development for a digital age.
The 130-page page book – which is intended...
On February 13, World Radio Day, WACC Global joins UNESCO in urging radio stations worldwide to “uphold diversity, both in their newsroom and on the airwaves.”
WACC also encourages its members to...
Water shortage resulting from increased and longer periods of drought has been identified as one of the effects of climate change.
Who will be affected most by the scarcity of water...
Tharu-speaking Indigenous journalists in Nepal have enhanced their news and reporting skills, and production of news in Tharu has increased, thanks to a capacity building project undertaken by WACC local...
Following four years of fruitful collaboration, WACC and Boston-based Indigenous rights organization Cultural Survival have decided to renew and enhance their ongoing partnership.
Starting this year, WACC and Cultural Survival will...
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Climate Justice,
News
About 75 Kwéyòl-speaking Saint Lucians have now increased their knowledge of the language of climate change and sustainable development in Kwéyòl, thanks to a WACC-supported project developed by the Folk...
WACC Global is proud to announce its new initiative with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to help build the capacity of communities at the grassroots level – particularly family...
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Gender,
News
WACC's Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) has been nominated for the 2020 World Summit on Information Society’s 9th Annual Awards.
The GMMP was one of 353 projects nominated out of 806 submitted projects...
Colombia is one of 20 countries most at risk from suffering the disastrous effects of climate change.
Several factors contribute to environmental degradation and consequently, undermine livelihoods. These include the increasing...
How should civil society engage with the challenges and opportunities created by Artificial Intelligence (AI)?WACC Global’s No-Nonsense Guide to Communication Rights, Civil Society and Artificial Intelligence identifies several ways in which citizen...
WACC Deputy General Secretary Sara Speicher recently presented a workshop on “Upholding Human Rights and Social Justice in the Digital Age” during the 50th anniversary international conference of the Catholic Media Council...
In a country such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has “a strong patriarchal tradition and dominant stereotypes about women,” Abida Pehlic can’t emphasize enough how important the Global Media Monitoring Project...
On International Human Rights Day, December 10, WACC Global calls attention to the horrendous violence and abuse against journalists.
“Investigative journalism is the backbone of a well-functioning democracy,” said Philip Lee, WACC...
In response to rising xenophobia and racism in the Dominican Republic, WACC partner Espacio de Comunicación Insular has launched an awareness raising campaign on the issue and is developing a...
Twenty-four technicians and broadcasters from 21 community radio stations in Nepal are now able to repair and conduct technical maintenance of broadcasting equipment on their own, thanks to a WACC-supported...
WACC Deputy General Secretary Sara Speicher recently took part in a workshop, Data and Digital Intelligence as People’s Resources: Reclaiming Freedom and Control in a Data-based Society, held in Berlin...
This year’s last issue of WACC’s quarterly journal, Media Development, takes an in-depth look at the state of the Caribbean’s media and communications industry and their influence on the region’s...
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News,
Uncategorised
Children today would benefit from greater regulatory oversight of the Internet and social media.
In an open letter to the world’s children marking the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention on...
One hundred students from four public and one private school in Georgia are now providing weekly broadcast and blogs on issues that matter to them, including human rights, gender equality...
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Citizen Journalism,
News
In recent years, WACC Global has supported hundreds of communication rights-related projects that have not only been innovative, but have built the leadership skills and media visibility of its partners,...
Women journalists who ethically cover stories about gender-based violence are “human rights defenders in their own right,” and they often face challenges, including misogynistic attacks online and offline, as a...
Women continue to be excluded from peace and political processes, despite a UN resolution adopted nearly two decades ago, which acknowledged that armed conflicts disproportionately affect their health, safety and...
Journalists who challenge corruption and the abuse of power deserve special government protection, WACC General Secretary Philip Lee said on the occasion of the International Day to End Impunity for...
WACC Global is now a member of the Just Net Coalition (JNC), a global network of civil society organizations and individuals advocating for “an open, free, just and equitable Internet.”
The JNC focuses...
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News,
WACC Africa
With growing incidences of cyber violence and harassment against women and girls, including female journalists, WACC Global maintains its support for efforts that push for policies to address them and...
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Gender,
News,
Peace
WACC Global has joined more than 400 civil society organizations from 94 countries in signing an open letter urging all UN member states to give their full support to the Women, Peace...
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News,
WACC Laureates
A journalist, a cultural activist, a social communicator, a former WACC director of research, and a social justice activist have been named 2019 Honorary Life Members by WACC’s Board of Directors.
Since...
WACC’s Global Media Monitoring Project
(GMMP) received the Donald H. McGannon Award today and its global
coordinator, Sarah Macharia, described it as an affirmation of the
project, the network of volunteers, and...
Raising WACC’s profile as one of the key global players on gender and communication, and supporting critical applications of communication rights in new areas for...
Dr. Clifford Christians, one of the world’s leading scholars on ethics in media, will tackle “Fake News, Rights and Obligations in a Digital World” at the Religion Communication Congress (RCC),...
WACC has launched Many Voices One World - the new online home for the Centre for Communication Rights – as a multi-media website dedicated to supporting vibrant citizen media, democratic...
WACC reiterates its commitment to freedom of information, including every citizen’s right to access information they need to participate fully in the democratic process, and to open and diverse media,...
President Embert Charles has urged WACC’s new Board of Directors to roll up their sleeves to “reenergise our global movement, regroup and give a stronger voice to the regions.”...
The following statement was issued by Ary Regis, President of WACC-Caribe, on September 20, 2019:
...
In a world beset by problems, including a climate emergency, political
conflicts, and shrinking democratic space, WACC’s challenge is to
“exercise moral leadership by discovering new directions for the values
(it) embraces,” says...
Over half of the world’s population of 7.7 billion are connected to the
Internet, which has profoundly changed the way people live, work and
communicate....
Sunday, September 15 is the International Day of Democracy
and WACC is promoting every citizen’s right to communicate and to engage
in transparent, informed and democratic debate.
...
On International Literacy Day,
Saturday, September 8, WACC calls attention to the digital divide that
excludes billions of people around the world – including Indigenous
people and linguistic minorities – from accessing...
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News,
One Year Projects
An Indigenous community radio station in El Estor,
Guatemala, is taking a more active role in covering allegations of human
rights abuses involving extractive industries in their municipality, an
offshoot of a one-year...
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News,
WACC Africa
An average of 80,000 people are displaced from their homes each year in
Kenya, but local media hardly pay attention to their plight, says a
WACC-supported media monitoring study....
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News,
WACC Europe
It began with a simple idea of bringing together religious television
broadcasters to promote ecumenical and international co-operation and
give greater visibility to their programmes. ...
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News,
WACC Latin America
WACC-Latin America has joined other
civil society groups around the world in raising concerns over threats
facing the Amazon rainforest, including a recent uptick in deforestation
and record-setting wildfires. ...
A project that included the purchase of additional radio repeaters, the
installation of solar panels, and training for reporters has made Radio Bue Xhidza in Oaxaca, Mexico, a “stronger station”...
Nigerian media pay “little attention to the real issues”
affecting the country’s Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), ignore
their voices and often rely on statements from government officials when
reporting about them, a WACC-supported...
The ACT Alliance in North America and Central America have issued a
joint regional appeal to help undocumented migrants affected by U.S.
President Trump’s immigration policies, which have included the
separation of children...
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Media Development,
News
The year 2020 marks the 40th
anniversary of the publication of “The MacBride Report,” written by
UNESCO’s International Commission for the Study of Communication
Problems.
...
International Youth Day, first observed by the United Nations in the
year 2000, will focus on “Transforming Education.” The aim is to
highlight efforts to make education more inclusive and accessible for
all...
On International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, WACC is drawing attention to the urgent need to promote Indigenous languages at both national and international levels....
Every two weeks, at least one of the world’s 7,000 distinct languages “disappear,” the Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages warned over a decade ago.
...
The Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP), WACC’s flagship initiative since 1995, will receive the Donald H. McGannon Award at the United Church of Christ’s 37th annual
A
survey conducted by UNESCO has found that 125 of the UN’s 193 member
states have enacted right to information laws or similar provisions.
...
Fifty young Kankuamos, Wiwas,
Koguis, and Arthuacos recently took part in a media production and
communication rights training organized by Tayrona Estereo, an Indigenous community radio station in Colombia....
Radio Newa FM, a community
radio station based in Kirtipur, Nepal, has launched a series of field
visits and dialogues on Indigenous heritage and Indigenous rights across
the Kathmandu Valley....
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Gender,
News
The Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP), scheduled for
2020, is still in need of volunteer national coordinators for several
countries in Asia and Eastern Europe.
...
Youth and climate stand out at UN forum on sustainable development.
...
UN meetings are often bureaucratic. This one has a sense of urgency.
With
its rather dull title, the UN High-Level...
The
growing trend of shrinking civic spaces around the world is likely to
end or reverse progress towards reducing inequality, ensuring inclusion,
and achieving a sustainable...
Olivia Michael – an incoming third year student this fall at
the University of Toronto, where she is pursuing a double major in
health studies and sociology – has joined WACC for...
Program managers Sarah Macharia and Lorenzo Vargas will represent WACC at the 2019 International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) Conference, scheduled July 7 to 11, in Madrid....
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News,
WACC Asia
From tightening an antenna to changing a busted fuse, 24 Nepalese
community radio technicians received a hands-on workshop on radio
maintenance and repair organized by Indigenous Community Radio Network
(ICRN), a WACC partner....
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News,
WACC North America
A Queen's University student with a keen interest in the intersection of
development, communications and human rights, said she is wrapping up
her internship at WACC with a newfound understanding of communication
rights...
A WACC-supported project involving an Indigenous
community radio in Chiapas, Mexico, has resulted in the production of 12
programmes on topics such as women’s rights, Indigenous rights and
heritage, communication rights, land...
Today, June 20, is World Refugee Day and WACC is calling on
communicators to “create greater awareness among the public” about the
plight of displaced people, migrants and refugees worldwide and how...
Twelve women and 12 men from 10
community and Indigenous radio stations in the states of Oaxaca and
Hidalgo, Mexico, have taken part in a WACC-supported media training that
left many...
In the lead up to the next GMMP in 2020, we look back at some news and
feature articles, as well as studies that have used the project's
compelling findings....
The impact of the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) cannot be overstated, says journalist-activist Amie Joof....
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Gender,
News,
WACC Asia
Lynda Garcia, the Global Media Monitoring Project’s (GMMP) national
coordinator for the Philippines, describes the participation of Miriam
College’s department of communication as a “fulfilling and exciting
experience” for students and faculty.
...
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Cinema,
News
WACC and the World Council of Churches (WCC) are hosting the screening
of Fe en la Resistencia (Faith in the Resistance Movement), a
documentary on the role of churches and faith communities...
The #MeToo movement has “brought to light some of the gender violence
directed against women,” and Glory Dharmaraj wonders whether this would
have an effect on the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP)...
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Gender,
News
The Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) has become a “reference
point” for Claudia Padovani’s teaching, research and advocacy activities
in Italy....
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Gender,
News,
WACC Caribbean
For Hillary Nicholson, the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) has
provided useful data that has helped her organization, WMW-Jamaica
(formerly Women’s Media Watch) in its advocacy and training of
gender/media activists....
WACC’s
recently elected global President, Embert Charles, has assumed his role
at the head of the organization's new Board of Directors. The Board will
serve a four-year term 2019-2023....
WACC will be featured in the highly-anticipated DW Global Media Forum scheduled May 27-28 in Bonn, Germany.
...
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Gender,
News
Every five years since 1995, the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP)
has counted on hundreds of volunteers around the world to take a
“snapshot” of their country’s media to see how men...
Following the election of Embert Charles as WACC President and
Stephen Brown as WACC Treasurer, a new Board of Directors has been
appointed commencing June 1, 2019 for a four-year term.
...
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Media Development,
News
The 1/2019 issue of Media Development goes in search of the missing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) that “underpins all the other SDGs.”...
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News,
WACC Europe
Stephen Brown will serve another term as treasurer of WACC.
WACC’s Board of Directors named Brown as treasurer from 2019 to 2023. He served in the same capacity from 2015-2019....
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News,
WACC Caribbean
Embert Charles, WACC president-elect, is scheduled to deliver a talk on the Kwéyòl language on Thursday, May 9, in Toronto.
Charles was invited by York University in his capacity...
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Gender,
News
Preparations are underway for the 2020 Global Media Monitoring
Project (GMMP), the largest and longest-running research and advocacy
initiative on gender equality in the world’s news media....
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Cinema,
News
Eldorado, a brutally honest documentary, reveals the hidden dimensions of what has become a universal tragedy.
...
Forced displacements and migration have become “inescapable” in today’s
world and media must not only find responsible ways of reporting about
these issues, but also help “guarantee future coexistence in a diverse
society,”...
Today, May 3, is World Press Freedom Day, and WACC is calling on all
individuals to support and promote independent and diverse media....
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News,
WACC Caribbean
WACC members have elected the organization’s next president, who comes from its Caribbean Region.
...
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Gender,
Media and Gender Monitor,
News,
WACC Africa,
WACC Asia,
WACC Caribbean,
WACC Europe,
WACC Latin America,
WACC Middle East,
WACC North America,
WACC Pacific
The Global Media Monitoring
Project (GMMP) logo – with figures of a woman reading the news from a
desktop computer and a man reading a newspaper while perched on a globe –
has...
Will you help make the 2020 Global Media Monitoring (GMMP) possible?
Please consider donating to the GMMP’s campaign via Fundly, a crowdfunding site for online fundraising....