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The AMDMC Conference is organised biannually and takes place in a selected African country; presentations at the conference are made by distinguished scholars and individuals from Africa and the rest of the world. The theme for the Accra Conference is ‘Mediating Democracy in Africa’, the Conference aims to examine the broad impact of the media on democracy. 

BACKGROUND: Recent developments of the growing influence of the media in Africa’s fledgling democracies, in particular radio and television in monitoring, pollstering, and ‘nuancing’ election results ahead of the Electoral Commissioner, has been contested by politicians, constitutional experts and media practitioners.

The Conference aims to address and examine among others the location of such media practices, their constitutional legitimacy and their relevance to freedom of information in a democratic dispensation. It will seek to address media practises such as the ‘announcing of elections results’ ahead of an Electoral Commission or the ‘deployment of Press Conferences’ by political parties as political posturing during voting and ballot counting period of an election. The conference will address both the constitutional and ethical issues that arise from such practices and provide context for comparison, dialogue and analysis between media practices situated in different cultural-political environment. When does ‘announcing’ become ‘endorsement’ of a particular political party contesting a democratic election? What is the impact on the electorate of such early announcements of election results from electoral constituencies? What are the implications for social and national cohesion of such practice in fiercely contested elections? what is the way forward?

PARTICIPATION: The conference aims to bring together delegates from around the world including politician, parliamentarians, media owners and managers; broadcast, print, online and community journalists; academics/students and members of the non-governmental community.

PROGRAMME: The conference is designed to have six (6) major speakers on each day   with an interactive presentation of 10 plenary sessions with 30 speakers and a workshop for media practitioners. Media workshop theme: ‘Covering elections and informing responsibly: A national duty?’

REGISTERATION: Participants are expected to register for the Conference either before or on arrival in Accra. All participants MUST register online to indicate they will be attending the Conference. The registration fee for the Conference is US$150.00 for all participants and $100.00 for students.

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In preparation for the fifty-fifth session of the Commission on the Status of Women, the Division for the Advancement of Women is organizing an online discussion on the linkages between women’s and girls' access to and participation in formal and non-formal education and training, and their equal access to full employment and decent work. The discussion will contribute to the findings and recommendations presented to the Commission on the Status of Women.

Podcast participants

Carolyn Medel-Añonuevo is the Deputy Director/Senior Programme Coordinator of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, a research institute of UNESCO promoting non-formal education, literacy and adult education in the perspective of lifelong learning. A sociologist coming from the Philippines, she has been working in the field of women's education for the last 25 years.

May Rihani is Senior Vice President of the Academy for Educational Development (AED), a non-profit organization active in more than 150 countries, and Director of the AED Global Learning Group. She is responsible for educational reform programmes in multiple African and Middle Eastern countries, and focuses on ensuring gender equality in AED’s educational projects and social development programmes. She has addressed girls’ education at a large number of international conferences.

Sakena Yacoobi is President and Executive Director of the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL), an Afghan women-led NGO serving 350,000 women and children each year through its educational learning centers, schools, training and clinics in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Ms. Yacoobi is an Ashoka Fellow, has won numerous awards for her international work in peace and human rights and serves on over 15 affiliated group panels and boards.

Registration will be open from 7 July and will be necessary for participants to post comments. Please visit UN.org

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To read the complete news story please visit AllAfrica.com