Event
Disability Representation, Accessibility, and Inclusive Management in African Media
Understanding the potential of diversity within the media landscape is key to fostering inclusivity and advancing the sustainability of media organizations. Diverse perspectives not only enrich content but also drive innovation, attracting new audiences and creating new revenue streams. To acknowledge the importance of disability equality in media, UNESCO is organizing a side event on "Disability Representation, Accessibility and Inclusive Management in African Media" on 16 May, from 4 to 5:30 pm (GMT), at the 3rd African Media Convention in Accra, Ghana.
In this thematic session, designed for participants from the African broadcasting and media industry attending the 2024 African Media Convention, UNESCO will present its work in developing its Practical Manual and Master Class on Disability Equality for Persons with Disabilities in the Media. Participants will gain insights on how to ensure inclusive editorial policies and equitable media programming, how to make media content and operations accessible, and how to develop and implement inclusive management practices.
By attending this side events, African media professionals will be provided with recommendations to drive transformative change within newsrooms, technical studios, and management boards. They will have access to more information on the importance of strengthening partnerships between media professionals and organizations advocating for disability rights. Moreover, participants will be able to contribute to ongoing dialogue on promoting disability equality within African media organizations and networks.
The following topics will be discussed at the meeting:
- Editorial content and equitable media programming
- Making media content and operations accessible
- Inclusive management practices and operations in media
- Promoting disability equality in Africa
Agenda
16:00 – 16:15 | Opening remarks
- Dr. Rita Bissoonauth, Director, UNESCO Liaison Office to African Union and United Nations Economic Commission to Africa (UNECA) and Representative of UNESCO to Ethiopia
- UNESCO Master Class video screening on disability equality in the media
16:15 – 17:15 | Roundtable discussion on promoting disability equality in Africa
Promoting disability equality in Africa
- Mr Joseph Atsu Homadzi, National President, Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD) (Ghana)
Editorial policies and programming
- TBC
Accessible digital information, media content and information
- Dr. Millicent Agangiba, Executive Director, Inclusive Tech Group (Ghana)
- Question from the participants addressed to the speakers of the roundtable
17:15 – 17:25 | UNESCO Practical Manual on Disability Equality in the Media
- Dr. Irmgarda Kasinskaite-Buddeberg, Advisor for Communication and Information, UNESCO
17:25 – 17:30 | Closing
- UNESCO Master Class video screening on disability equality in the media
Moderator: Dr. Irmgarda Kasinskaite-Buddeberg, Advisor for Communication and Information, UNESCO
Resources
- 3rd African Media Convention Website ()
- Workshop: Disability Equality in the Media: Exploring New Audiences, Customers and Users (14 May 2024, Ghana)
- UNESCO Webinar | Exclusive Preview - Disability Equality in Media (link)
- Recording of UNESCO Webinar | Exclusive Preview - Disability Equality in Media held on 6 December 2023 ()
- UNESCO Meeting Report: Webinar | Exclusive Preview: Disability Equality in Media ()
- UNESCO Disability Equality in the Media Webpage (link)
- UNESCO Programme Outline - Building media capacities to establish linkages between equality, diversity and inclusion for persons with disabilities ()
- UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ()
- UN Disability Inclusion Strategy ()
- The Americans with Disabilities Act ()
- EU Web Accessibility Directive ()
- Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the accessibility requirements for products and services ()
