Statement to the 47th United Nations
Commission on the Status of Women
On Violence, Media and ICTs
March 5, 2003

Delivered by Gertrude Eigelsreiter-Jashari
WIDE-Austria

The CSW is discussing follow-up to the Beijing Platform for Action in the areas of media, information technology, violence and women's human rights. We believe it is not possible to explore these themes without an integrated analysis of how different groups of women are impacted in multiple aspects of their lives. An integrated analysis helps in understanding the existing economic system, which re-enforces gender, racial, ethnic and class inequalities; violence and the denial of human rights. Such an analysis allows us to explore power relations at all levels and the differential impact on particular groups of women. It allows us to see how media impacts violence, and violence shapes media.

The global economic order and current macro-economic policies, transmitted through international financial and trade institution, transnational corporations and the interests of powerful nations, shape a dominant media message and exacerbate violence. Economic violence is a significant aspect of violence against women. This is seen in the overall impact of neo-liberal economic policies-from privatization, to the loss of food sovereignty, to the imposition of trade rules that would deny accessible HIV/AIDS drugs or any independent development path. It is seen in employment practices; violence and sexual harassment in the workplace; lack of access to basic services; unemployment and precarious jobs; trafficking and economic prostitution; economic immigration and displacement; and war. These realities are often reflected through distorted media images, or ignored by the media altogether. Media is used to maintain particular privileges and power. It helps to legitimize current unequal economic, political and social relations by creating images, casting blame on particular groups, and framing a single consumerist world view that justifies economic inequality and war.

We echo the remarks of Feride Acar, Chair of CEDAW, who noted yesterday that "discrimination is multi-faceted and complex and that few individuals are affected by only one form of discrimination." We underline the importance of using an intersectional perspective as affirmed during the 45th session of the CSW when it addressed the intersection of gender, race, ethnicity and other oppressions. There is no generic "woman" as the target of our policy. This means that an analysis of media or ICTs must explore the realities of different groups of women and the racial as well as gender hierarchies in terms of work, access and images. An analysis of violence is more than inter-personal conflict or the issue of trafficking. It includes state violence, the violence of war and the violence of an economic system that has intensified poverty. This violence has often been directed at women of particular racial and ethnic groups within nations and within situations of conflict.

The CSW's agreed conclusions should prioritize measures to address the multiple discrimination that women experience in the context of media, ICTs and violence. These are deeply linked with global economic inequalities. Poor women in racial and ethnically marginalized groups need to become visible in both the analysis and in your policy recommendations.

As an example, action on communications and media must address the diversity of women's cultures and realities and cannot be limited to digital solutions. We echo the concerns of the Women's Caucus of the World Summit on Information Society, which states that measures of progress cannot only be related to digital technology. Appropriate technology, community radio, access to electricity, telephones and other means of communication must be considered.

The agreed conclusions should consider women, media, ICTs and violence in the context of economic policies that produce unequal conditions and abusive situations. We affirm the recommendation from the Report of the Secretary General on violence (E/CN.6/2003/7), to review and reorient from a gender perspective macroeconomic, trade and social sector policies to ensure that they do not exacerbate feminized poverty and gender-based inequalities. An enabling economic environment is essential to progress on gender, racial and ethnic equality.