COMMUNITY RADIO WORKSHOP

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND INFORMATION SECTION

PRESS RELEASE

25/26 AUGUST 1999

As part of Parliament's commitment to facilitate public participation, a project is being embarked upon to provide access to civic education for rural women. To this end a workshop will take place with Community Radio Stations to look at how these radio st ations can develop civic education programmes that targets rural women.

Representatives from approximately 40 community radio stations will attend the workshop that will take place in Parliament from 25 - 26 August 1999. The activities on the programme includes:

• A formal opening where delegates will be addressed by
  • The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ms Baleka Mbete
  • The Deputy Chairperson of the Natioal Council of Provinces, Mr B L Mushwana;
• A session where Ms Z Jaffer, the Group Parliamentary Editor for Independent Newspapers, will examine, "the role of the media in facilitating public participation;
• An opportunity is also being provided for delegates to do interviews with members about their commitment to facilitating public participation.

Please send a reporter along to attend this pioneering effort by Parliament to work with community radio programmes on a project that will begin to look at ways of how rural women issues can be brought from the margins to the mainstream.

For further details please contact Ms L Rhoda on (021)403 8157. Attached please find a full programme for the two days.

Thank you

LINDA RHODA
PROGRAMME CO-ORDINATOR

P R O G R A M M E

Wednesday 25 August 1999

14:00 - Meeting with Communications Portfolio Committee - E249
15:45 - Tour of Parliament
16:30 - Registration -
17:30 - Welcome & Opening

Chairperson : Nomsa Somdaka

Speakers:

17:45-18:55 Ms Baleka Mbete (Deputy Speaker National Assembly)
17:55-18:05 Mr M L Mushwana (Deputy Chairperson NCOP)
18:05-18:15 Jean Fairburn (Open Society Foundation)
19:30 - Presentation Rural Women's Programme - Thabo & Linda
20:00 - Finger Supper - Coffee Lounge, Parliament

Thursday 26 August 1999

08:30 - Welcome & Introduction - E 249
09:00 - Participation Expectations
09:30 - Introduction to Government
- Legislation & public participation
- Role & structures to facilitate public participation
- Rationale for focus on public participation for rural women
11:00 TEA
11:30 Presentation: The role of the media in facilitating public participation: Zubeida Jaffer
12:15 Interviews with Members of Parliament
13:00 LUNCH
14:00 GROUP DISCUSSION: Exploring ways to present public participation to our listeners
15:30 TEA
15:45 Report Back to Plenary
16:15 Future training needs of commuity radio stations
16:30 Evaluation & Closure

Issued: 23 August 1999