Delhi Declaration on Gender Equity in Media

<font size="4"><font size="3">EU-India: Building Paths to Equality in Journalism</font>
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<font size="2">Delhi Declaration
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We, journalists attending the seminars Cracking the Glass Ceiling – Women in Media Institutions and Collective Bargaining and Women’s Rights, held in New Delhi, 28 March - 1 April 2006 demand:

1. That IFJ Indian affiliates are invited to commit themselves to organise without further delay a Gender Council, composed equally of women and men, within their structure which will monitor gender equality policies and activities in the unions, including training for women journalists and ensuring gender mainstreaming in all aspects of union activity;

2. That all Indian media employees’ unions pledge to have proportional representation of women on all decision making bodies by the next IFJ Congress in 2007;

3. That Indian media employees’ unions ensure that participation by union members at any of their meetings, seminars and delegations are gender-balanced;

4. That media employees’ unions ensure that promotional practices are fully transparent, that they are based upon seniority and fair assessment and that they recognise the special circumstances in which women work;

5. That media employers employ women and men journalists under the provisions of the Industrial employment (Standing Orders) Act which is applicable to journalists in India and put an end to the Fixed Term contract system. Journalists and other media employees have a legal right to join a trade union and any such prohibition should be treated as ultra vires;

6. That media employees’ unions commit themselves to eliminate all forms of violence, harassment and intimidation against women journalists;

7. The media employees’ unions commit themselves to working together with media employers to promote fair gender portrayal in the media, including the development of guidelines;

8. That women journalists have access to leadership positions within media houses and unions without discrimination and shall be encouraged to take such positions;

9. That facilities be provided by media employers for women and men journalists to reconcile work and family life, including provision of support for child care, flexible working hours, and support for women who work night shifts (such as, free and secure transport arrangements and special retiring rooms).

10. That media houses adopt and develop equal opportunity policies and promote and publish vacancies to ensure fair access of all to employment.

Delhi, 1 April, 2006