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World Radio Day focuses on gender equality
ITU commits to empowering women over the air waves
Geneva, 13 February 2014 – World Radio Day 2014 brings
attention to women's empowerment and encourages radio broadcasters to promote
access to information, freedom of expression and gender equality over the
airwaves.
ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun I. Touré said, “Radio is an effective means of
reaching out to people everywhere. By providing information in a timely manner,
it empowers people in every corner of the world, in particular women, to meet
their goals of sustainable development. Innovations in radio technology, which
are under constant development at ITU, will make this medium increasingly
relevant.”
13 February marks the day UN Radio was founded in 1946. Today, UN Radio
continues to reach millions of people around the world, with daily broadcasts in
the six official languages of the United Nations plus Portuguese and Kiswahili.
Through partner stations around the globe, via the Internet and through new
media, UN Radio highlights the efforts, achievements and challenges of the
United Nations in dealing with pressing global issues, such as, sustainable
development, peace and security, human rights, humanitarian affairs, and women’s
equality and empowerment.
In January 2013, the United Nations General Assembly formally endorsed
UNESCO’s proclamation of World Radio Day following a request from the Academia
Española de la Radio of Spain.
Radio is an effective medium to reach a wide audience and a very effective
communication tool. Radio broadcasts by networks and community radio stations
play a very important role in reaching out to people living in remote rural
settlements around the world and is particularly indispensable in emergency
communication and disaster relief.
“World Radio Day celebrates audio broadcasting and seeks to improve
international cooperation among radio broadcasters while encouraging
decision-makers to create and provide access to information through radio,” said
Mr François Rancy, Director of ITU’s Radiocommunication Bureau. “The occasion
draws attention to the unique value of radio, which is currently taking up new
technological forms and devices such as digital and online broadcasting.”
The ITU body dealing with the broadcasting service, ITU-R Study Group 6,
focuses on worldwide broadcasting roaming and accessibility to these services –
which include vision, sound, multimedia and data services intended for delivery
to the general public – and plays a leading role in the advances being made in
these technologies.
For more information, please
contact:
Sanjay Acharya
Chief, Media Relations and Public Information
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Grace Petrin
Communication Officer, Radiocommunication Bureau
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