Radio Production: Coverage of gender issues in Azerbaijan

Internews will produce three 1 minute radio Public Service Announcements (PSA) on gender issues between 1 September 2006 and 25 December 2006 in an effort to utilize broadcast media to promote a better understanding on gender equality towards better organized and represented civil society in Azerbaijan. The PSAs will address diverse angles of gender equality. Each PSA will be aired 20 times, which in total makes nearly 60 times overall broadcast airtime for the targeted 3 PSAs within four months.

Series of Public Service Announcements Unveiled

ABA-CEELI and Internews Azerbaijan unveiled a series of nine public service announcements (PSAs) promoting basic legal rights of Azeri citizens.

The nine PSAs, each 30-seconds in length, cover a variety of topics including the impartiality of judges, citizens' equality under the law, the right to an attorney, freedom of the media and the right to union activities. 

The PSAs will be broadcast on Baku's Space TV, as well seven regional television stations. The first broadcasts began at several of the regional stations on Jan. 8. In total, the PSAs will be broadcast several hundred times in the next three weeks. 

"An informed public is the basis of every democratic society," said John Porter, country director for ABA-CEELI in Azerbaijan. "Citizens must be aware of their basic rights before they can effectively exercise those rights." 

ABA-CEELI provided the funding and legal expertise to realize the project, while Internews provided production consultation and technical support. Azeri television producer Orhon Fikretoglu supervised the production. 

The nine PSAs were unveiled at a press conference yesterday at the ABA-CEELI offices in Baku. Among those attending the presentation were Xanlar Hajiyev, Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Azerbaijan, along with five of the court's judges. Also attending were Nancy McEldowney, Deputy Chief of Mission for the US Embassy in Baku, Council of Europe advisor Inkeri Aarnio-Lwoff, and representatives of several local and international human rights organizations.

ABA-CEELI

Phone: (+994 12) 97 20 78/9
Email: raportfree@yahoo.com

Internews Azerbaijan

Phone: (+994 12) 497 21 02 / 03 
Email: office@internews.az