Hosted by Gender Links (GL) in partnership with the Gender and Media Southern Africa (GEMSA) Network and the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), the summit will also recognise journalists and media in the region through the third Gender and Media awards and the Media Action Plan (MAP) HIV and AIDS and Gender awards for progressive institutional practice on promoting diversity in the work place and media content.

South Africa will also soon host the annual Heads of State meeting of SADC leaders. Coinciding with the nation's August celebration of Women's Month, gender activists all around the region are awaiting news of what could be the culmination of a campaign launched in 2005 to see a legally binding Protocol on Gender and Development approved by Southern African leaders.

The Southern African Gender Protocol Alliance (the Alliance), is planning a parallel meeting to the SADC Heads of State and Government Summit. The Alliance Meeting will start with the launch of a book, “Business Unusual, Gender and the Economy” on the evening of Wednesday 13 August and the main meeting will be 14 - 16 August.

These and other events will take place from 10 - 16 August, and offer media an opportunity to cover intriguing stories on issues as diverse as gender equality, post-conflict media in the DRC, media and elections around the region, audience and newsroom research, tabloidisation and xenophobia in the media, reporting on gender and the economy, and what the SADC Gender Protocol will mean for the region. With such a large number of delegate sin attendance, journalists will have the opportunity to interview a diverse group of regional experts.

Further information

For a full list of events, go to:

Gender and Media Awards (10 August 7pm)
www.genderlinks.org.za/page.php?p_id=435

A partnership between GL, MISA and GEMSA the awards will take place at the Kopanong Hotel. Ten journalists from around the region will receive awards in various categories. The awards include the SPI/MAP award for progressive newsroom practice in developing HIV and AIDS policies.

GEM Summit on the theme: Whose news, whose views: Critical citizens, Responsive Media (11 - 12 August)
www.genderlinks.org.za/page.php?p_id=400

Some 200 media analysts, practitioners, activists are expected from around the region and will be debating such topics as tablois; xenophobia; Glass Ceilings in Newsrooms; Gender and Advertising; Gender and Images; Media Literacy; Community Media; the Gender and Media Diversity Centre.

Launch of Business Unusual: Gender and the Economy (13 August, 6pm - 8pm)
www.genderlinks.org.za/page.php?p_id=400

GL in partnership with the World Bank and IFC will launch a compilation of the reporting from nine workshops across Southern Africa on gender and the economy. Journalists and policy makers will debate key themes.

Meeting of the Southern African Gender Protocol Alliance (14 - 16 August)
www.genderlinks.org.za/page.php?p_id=431

The meeting of 16 national and regional NGOS that have campaigned for the adoption of the gender protocol takes place on the eve of the 2008 SADC Heads of State Summit. The meeting will focus on 1) identifying strategies for ensuring the twenty targets in the current draft of the Protocol are met and 2) forming theme clusters for taking the work forward. In particular the meeting hopes to launch a Gender and Economic Justice Cluster; in addition to existing sector networks on gender violence; the 50/50 campaign; and the gender and media networks. For more information, go to www.genderlinks.org.za/page.php?p_id=435

A media liason will be on hand to assist with organising interviews.

[11 Aug 2008 09:29]

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