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WFS has been
providing a variety of consultancy services since 1990. A
selection is given below
2008
In 2008, apart from producing around 350 national and international features, Women's Feature Service also undertook a wide range of activities which focused on two broad objectives: raising the visibility of gender issues within civil society and informing and educating media professionals on the big social themes of the day.
- The features generated by WFS in 2008 covered a wide range of subjects. We had inspiring stories of women changing their lives and their communities against great odds. Women like Koma Mohanty, an illiterate woman living with HIV/AIDS in an Orissa village, who is fighting ignorance and social prejudice against people like her. WFS also carried an exclusive first-person account by Planning Commission Member, Syeda Hameed, on why she agreed to become the first woman in India to conduct a nikkah. WFS highlighted how village ten-year-olds dream of becoming national swimming champs in Bihar's backwaters and how young women find self affirmation in the wrestling rings of Delhi. WFS also covered every major development that had a gender dimension in 2008, from the plea of a Mumbai couple to abort their 25-week-old foetus to the Hillary Clinton phenomenon; from the passing of the Women's Reservation Bill in India's Upper House, to understanding why the Beijing Olympics was important for Chinese women. There were serious critiques of the new draft Indian law on surrogacy, the legal provisions meant to address sexual harassment in the workplace and the handling of the Scarlet Keeling and Arushi Talwar murder cases. WFS stayed abreast of events during a tumultuous year that saw world markets collapse, terrorists strike in Mumbai, the River Kosi change course and flood large stretches of Bihar, riots in Orissa and which witnessed the overthrowing of the monarchy in Nepal.
- Fellowship Project CARE India and Women's Features Service came together for the CARE-Women's Feature Service Media Fellowships 2008. Fifteen fellowships were made available to journalists and writers chosen from WFS's network of correspondents from across the country. Each fellow had to submit three features on the theme of women as agents of change. These features, which highlighted the inspiring work done by thousands of unknown women all over India, were then published in various national, regional and international publications, as well as on several websites.
- Photo Exhibitions WFS-CARE India fellowship process were showcased as an attractive photo exhibition that was staged in two venues at the heart of New Delhi. Entitled ‘Engendering the New- Women as Agents of Change’', the exhibition (held at the India Habitat Centre from September 24 to 27 and at India International Centre from Sept 30 to Oct. 3, 2008). The exhibition highlighted the role of women in innumerable social interventions on the ground, ranging from livelihood generation and healthcare to agricultural innovation and personal empowerment.
December: As a lead up to Human Rights Day WFS photographs of women transforming their personal space by working for better sanitation and potable water, were exhibited on the lawns of the United Nations in Delhi.
- Workshops In the shadow of the elections to the Delhi assembly, Women's Feature Service (WFS) in association with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), conducted a very relevant and topical workshop on the theme, 'Translating Politics Into Participatory Governance' at the India International Centre. Over 25 journalists and students of political science participated in the day-long workshop. The objective of the workshop was to raise awareness among journalists on crucial human development issues that emerged in the run-up to the Delhi elections.The Chief Minister of Delhi, Ms Sheila Dikshit, delivered the inaugural address in which she presented her vision for Delhi.
Recognising that one of the hurdles in the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in India is the asymmetry of information flows, Women's Feature Service in association with UN agencies (UNRCO/UNDP/UNICEF/UNFPA), and the Indian Media Center For Journalists (IMCFJ), organised a one-and-a-half day media workshop on the theme, 'From Goals to Media Stories/ From Media Stories to Goals', in Lucknow. Twenty-eight journalists from Uttar Pradesh (UP), Bihar and Jharkhand, some of them located in small towns, and writing for small and medium size newspapers, attended this workshop that was conducted entirely in Hindi.
2007
- A brainstorming meeting of senior editors of South Asian newspapers (India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal), political leaders' consortium on population & development (AFPPD and IAPPD), activists, CSOs/INGOs, and the UN Millennium Campaign team was organised in Delhi. The focus of the discussions was maternal health (MDG 5). (In collaboration with United Nations Population Fund, Country Technical Support Team, South & West Asia).
- A media advocacy and training initiative was undertaken that focussed on the UN's MDG 5 (Maternal Health). Six journalists (from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan) traveled to a South Asian country other than their own and undertook a short field trip. WFS organised their travel, meetings with NGOs, maternal health experts, field visits, etc. Based on their field trips, the journalists filed articles that were published in their respective newspapers. The same articles have also been put up on the websites of Women's Feature Service and UNFPA. (In collaboration with United Nations Millennium Campaign and United Nations Population Fund, Country Technical Support Team, South & West Asia)
2006
- South Asian Capacity Building Workshop, held in Delhi (India), to discuss issues related to Reproductive Health and HIV &Youth. Print journalists from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Maldives participated in this seminar. (In collaboration with Population Reference Bureau, USA and with technical support from United Nations Population Fund, Country Technical Support Team, South & West Asia)
- Media Training Workshop to sensitise and train Hindi and English journalists (print and television) from Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal on reporting on the UN's Millennium Development Goals. (In collaboration with UNDP and DFID, India)
- Media Training Workshop to sensitise and train Hindi and English journalists (print and television) from Bihar, Orissa and Jharkhand on reporting on the UN's Millennium Development Goals. (In collaboration with UNDP and DFID, India)
2005
- South Asia Editors' Roundtable, held in Delhi, to discuss how coverage of development issues can be improved. The consultation was attended by editors/ media owners from Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. (In collaboration with UNFPA-CST, South and West Asia)
- Media training workshop to sensitise journalists (print and TV) to issues related to sex determination and unequal sex ratio. The workshop was conducted in Hindi and was attended by journalists from Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Punjab and Haryana. (In collaboration with UNFPA, India)
- Media training workshop to sensitise and train journalists from Madhya Pradesh and Delhi on reporting on the UN's Millennium Development Goals. (In collaboration with UNDP and DFID, India)
- Media sensitisation workshop for radio professionals on issues related to sex determination and unequal sex ratio. (In collaboration with UNFPA, India)
- Media training workshop to sensitise and train journalists from Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh on reporting on the UN's Millennium Development Goals. (In collaboration with UNDP, India, IIM-Bangalore, and Dept of Personnel and Training)
- Talks to students of communication in five Delhi colleges on issues related to HIV and Gender. (In collaboration with UNIFEM, SARO)
- Editing of profiles and preparation of press releases for screening of short documentaries on HIV by young filmmakers from Asia. (In collaboration with UNESCO, Asia)
- Editing of profiles of 160 'peacewomen' from South Asia who were nominated for the 1000 Women for the Nobel Prize 2005. (In collaboration with Sangat, India and Association for 1000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize 2005, Switzerland)
2004
- TV monitoring project of selected TV channels in India that broadcast news or current affairs programmes, and researching and writing an overview of television journalism in India. This project was a part of a TV monitoring project that compared the 'communicative architecture' and production practices of television journalism in Australia, USA, UK, India, Singapore and South Africa. (In collaboration with University of Melbourne, Australia)
- Media training workshop on the UN's Millennium Development Goals, attended by civil servants and journalists (print and TV) from Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana , Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi. (In collaboration with UNDP, Dept for Personnel and Training and Indian Institute of Public Administration)
- Workshop on community radio, attended by stakeholders and those interested in community radio policy. (In collaboration with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, UNDP and UNESCO)
- Media monitoring project to analyse newspapers from Pakistan, Bangladesh and India for reportage on peace and conflict. Angana Parekh presented a paper based on the findings at a conference in Sri Lanka on 'Peace, Conflict Transformation, Development and Gender' and Tripta Batra conducted a working group session to build the capacity of NGOs to analyse print media and establish working relationships with mediapersons. (Supported by EED)
2003
- A paper on the outcome of the above workshops was presented by Angana Parekh at a conference on 'Access to Information, ICTs and Cross Media Partnerships - The Empowerment Agenda' organised by UNDP in Goa, India. (Sponsored by UNDP)
- Two workshops on 'Development Reporting' designed for Hindi language newspaper and TV journalists from seven Hindi-speaking states of India. A total of 49 mediapersons were trained and sensitised on issues like local self-governance, HIV and gender, ICTs for development, Tools for development reporting and Right to Information laws. (In collaboration with UNDP.)
- A series of 10 articles and one half-hour radio programme on adolescent sexual and reproductive health. The target readers and listeners were teenagers so several features were placed in the city supplement of a leading national daily that is widely read by young people. (Supported by Population Council)
- Produced 10 articles on the post-earthquake rehabilitation and reconstruction work of NGOs in Kutch, Gujarat. (Sponsored by the America India Foundation)
- In collaboration with Centre for Women's Development Studies (CWDS), WFS organised a training workshop for women's NGOs on 'Internet and its Applications' in Delhi (India). (Supported by SID)
2002
- Organised two training and sensitisation workshops in Bhopal (India) and Lucknow (India) for Hindi language journalists on reporting on HIV and gender issues. (Supported by UNIFEM)
2001
- A series of articles and news briefs on informed and
expanded contraceptive choice; for publication in mainstream
media, and two 30-minute radio programmes broadcast on FM and AIR.
(Supported by Population Council)
- UNESCO workshop on 'News Agencies and the Internet' in
Amman (Jordan): Angana Parekh presented a paper on 'Key
Challenges and Strategies in the Electronic Age'.
- A series of articles on women, religion and the media;
for publication in mainstream media, and a 30-minute radio
programme broadcast on AIR Vividh Bharati.
(Supported by Ford Foundation)
- Organised a workshop in Bhopal (India) to train Hindi
language journalists on reporting on gender and development
issues. (Supported by FES)
- A series of articles on urbanisation; for publication in
mainstream media and also put up on a specially-created
'Citylife' section on the WFS website. Also created links
with associated websites. (In collaboration with TVE)
- Asia-Pacific Conference on Media and Transformative
Leadership in Manila (Philippines): Angana Parekh presented
a paper on 'Partnership with Media for Transformative
Leadership'.
- A series of articles from India, Nepal, Bangladesh,
Pakistan and Sri Lanka on the situation vis-à-vis rape and
dowry; for publication in mainstream media.
(Supported by Oxfam)
2000
-
Organised
an electronic discussion on 'Women, Religion and the Media:
Searching for New Interpretations'
-
Report
on a workshop (organised by the Department of Women &
Child, Ministry of Human Resource Development,
Government of India) 'Best Practices in Group dynamics in
Micro Credit'
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WFS took a team of journalists from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India to cover the meeting of the SAARC People's Forum in Kathmandu (Nepal). (Supported by UNIFEM)
1999
-
A
series of articles on innovative reproductive health and
development in India for publication in mainstream media,
and radio programmes and a 30-minute video
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Production
and marketing of features on reproductive health for
mainstream media in Maharashtra and a 28-minute audio tape
on Emergency contraception
-
Organised
and reported on a workshop on `Women, Religion and the
Media: Searching for New Interpretations' held at Leiden,
The Netherlands
-
Published
news bulletins of the reviews of the International
Conference on Population and Development (ICPD)
-
WFS
published daily newsletters on developments/discussions
during the three ICPD+5 gatherings : The Hague Forum; the
Population Commission, in New York; and the Special UN
General Assembly Session, New York
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WFS
participated in the Women Action 2000 Global Meet in Seoul,
Korea
-
Women's
Networking Training Workshop, in Seoul Korea. WFS
facilitated a women and media electronic discussion in
preparation for Beijing+5.
-
United
Nations Association of Canada: Anita Anand co-authored a
publication with John Foster : `Whose World Is it Anyway?
Civil Society, the United Nations and Multilateral Future'
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Beijing+5,
June onwards: WFS was involved in writing and editing the
country papers of India and South Asia for Beijing+5
activities
1998
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WFS
documented a conference `Women on the March' for the All
India Women's Education Fund, an NGO that has championed the
cause of women's empowerment since the All India Women's
Conference of 1929
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As
part of the UNIFEM campaign for elimination of gender based
violence in the South-Asia region, WFS commissioned seven
opinion pieces from prominent women and marketed them in
mainstream media
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In
collaboration with UNIFEM, WFS organised a half day seminar
for senior print and electronic media editors on issues of
media coverage on violence against women. The aim was to
develop guidelines for the media
1997
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Documenting
the workshop on Speaking Out: Strategies for Women's
Economic Empowerment and Sustainable Livelihoods, 1997
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The
Commission on Global Governance, London, UK. Documenting the
Roundtable on UN Reform, Global Governance and Civil
Society, in New Delhi, 1997
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Documenting
the En-gendering of the 9th Five Year Plan, 1997-98
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