Bahrain: Women pledge TV rights push

Gulf Daily News
By ANITA THOMAS, Posted on » Monday, May 04, 2009

A SERIES of public service announcements by women's groups could soon be aired on national television.

It follows a three-week workshop in which they were taught how to use computer technology to write, film and edit video messages.

The scheme was organised by the New York-based Barefoot Workshop, along with the Bahrain-based Smart Coaching and Research Centre.

Representatives of seven Bahraini women's organisations have written, directed and filmed a series of 30-second public service announcements, which were first screened last night at the Gulf Hotel.

The announcements aim to raise awareness of women's issues such as access to technology, participation in next year's national elections, domestic abuse, illiteracy and youth development.

Organisers hope they will also be broadcast on national television, posted on the Internet and even distributed to mobile phones.

Awareness

"We hope to support societies in Bahrain, particularly women's societies, to raise awareness about various issues faced by them," said programme director Alison Fast.

"We hope that this will be the first of a series of movements that will create awareness about the issues present within the society.

"Each women's society we have worked with has its own agenda for moving forward and has been equipped to spread public service announcements through the channels they choose and to the audience that they are aimed at."

The societies hope their messages will reach wider audience as possible thanks to advanced technology.

"We are hoping to be able to air the announcements on television where the majority of people can have access to them," said Ms Fast.

"Even illiterate people will be able to view them because nearly everyone watches television these days.

"Also sending them to people as messages on their mobile phones and posting them on the Net will definitely help reach more people."

Participating organisations included the Bahrain Young Ladies Association, Bahraini Society for Women's Development, Bahrain Women's Association - Human Development, Al Reef Young Lady Society, Hamad Town Women's Society, Awal Women's Society, Smart Coaching and Research Centre and the Batelco Care Centre for Family Violence Cases.