Philippines

On 28 November 2006, one of the consensus among participants of the “Multilogue of Women in Peace, Governance, and Media”, an activity funded by IAWRT International as part of its Strengthening the South Programme,  is the affirmation of the role of media in the promotion of peace and challenging the Philippine government to exercise accountability and good governance. Participants also recognized the obstacles that hinder media to do its role as an effective agent of social change, particularly in bringing about positive changes in women’s lives.

Women in media lamented that one reason for the inability of media to effect positive changes for women is the lack of support in covering women’s issues and concerns. It is in this context that the need for women in media to organize and to support one another came about.

Eleven (11) women participants to the Multilogue took another step by responding to the invitation of IAWRT Board Member and Environmental Broadcast Circle (EBC) Executive Director, Elizabeth Roxas, to form an IAWRT chapter in the Philippines.