Arab media role in promoting women's rights still below expectation

Arab media role in promoting and supporting Arab women's rights and issues is still below expectations, director general of Arab Women Organization (AWO), has acknowledged. Dr. Sheikha Saif Al Shamsi affirmed that media has an important role to play in building modern communities and there is focused attention on its significant role as a precursor to change and reform. In her opening address to the ''Arab forum on women and media within the framework of the current changes", Dr. Al Shamsi said that studies on stereotype image of women in the Arab media show that presence of Arab women in the media is still below ambition. ''The media stands on the dock on charge of promoting the negative image about Arab women,'' she added. Moroccan Minister of State Abdullah Baha opened the two-day event which is jointly organised by the AWO and Moroccan Ministry of Solidarity, Women, Family and Social Development in Marrakesh, Morocco. The forum will include five workshops tackling policies and strategies in the field of media and women. The workshops will also handle the legal framework that will present a positive image for the Arab women in the media field.