Managing relations with the media

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Managing relations with the media

• Advocating for sexual and reproductive rights in
  Eastern Europe The experience of ASTRA network
  members

Jivka Marinova, BGRF ASTRA member
5.04.2003 Riga
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Who is ASTRA?

• ASTRA is a network of NGOs from CEE working for
  the promotion of reproductive and sexual health
  and rights of women.
• It was created in 1999. Most of its founding
  members have been active at the UN conferences
  addressing population and womens issues Cairo,
  Cairo5, Beijing, Beijing5.

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ASTRA and MEDIA

• ASTRA organized an international workshop to
  strengthen advocacy skills and capacity to use
  mass media for campaigning in favor of women
  reproductive rights and health.
• The participants of the workshop ASTRA members
  and journalists, working closely with the
  respective NGOs.
• The trainers Joke van Kampen and Hillary Heath

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ASTRA and MEDIATraining provided

• How to organize and hold a press conference
• How to behave in front of the TV camera
• How to prepare a message

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Outcome activities

• All country teams developed national advocacy
  plans
• The plans were presented, justified and assessed
  by the whole group

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Belarus Demographic safety without restriction
on abortion

• Sociological survey Reproductive safety without
  restrictions on abortion - the conclusions have
  been presented to a seminar for journalists
• Training NGOs activities in reproductive rights
  advocacy - developing skills of NGO leaders for
  Reproductive Rights Protection
• Training for journalists Transformation of
  stereotypes in the field of RSHR
• Concept of sexual education for teenagers
• Direct impact the abortion law was not changed
  despite the pressure

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Latvia Media a public awareness building tool
about abortions

• Essay contest for adolescents
• Six issues of daily newspaper dedicated to the
  topic of safe abortion
• Round table forum Pro and Contra on abortion
• Public discussion about abortion issues
  supported the voting of a law on reproductive
  health

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Poland My life, my decision

• Exhibition My life, my decision presented on
• 17-23.09.2002
• Attracted the attention to the abortion and its
  (il)legal status on the lives of women
• The Governmental Plenipotentiary for Equal
  Status of Men and Women used the boards during a
  conference
• The exhibition was presented in 2 cities and
  will be presented in other 3.
• Bookmarks have been produced as memento

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Armenia Advocacy on safe abortion and
contraception. The first step

• Survey on the concepts of reproductive health
  and rights, safe abortion and contraception
  awareness among young girls
• Work with radio and newspaper journalists
• Participation in TV programs on youth and their
  reproductive rights with emphasis on abortion and
  contraception

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Bulgaria Informed use of contraception and safe
abortion

• Two radio shows in the most listened time focused
  on
• attitudes and awareness of contraception among
  different groups
• interviews with specialists
• reportage from a consulting service in Sofia
• Two types of brochures - on safe abortion and on
  contraception distributed in medical institutions
  and schools

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Lithuania Abortion issues and general measures
for improving womens reproductive health Draft
Law on Reproductive Health

• Workshop - discussion for womens NGOs,
  representatives of governmental institutions and
  media on abortion
• Recommendations for Lithuanian government and the
  Parliament
• The abortion remained legal

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Russia Creation of information for rising
awareness of teenagers on reproductive health and
rights

• Radio emission The attitude of the society to
  abortions
• Roundtable with massmedia shown by TV on The
  prevention and reproductive health care among
  15-17 years old
• Publication of a sociological survey on the theme

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New activities the future of ASTRABrussels
study tour

• 13 participants
• training at the EWL
• Visit of the European Parliament
• Attending the session of the committee of
  womens rights and gender equality
• Meetings with European Parliamentarians

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ASTRA in Brussels

• 15-19 March 2003 13 ASTRA representatives from
  12 countries of CEE/CIS came to Brussels to
  familiarize with EU institutions, especially with
  the European Parliament, as well as
  Brussels-based NGOs as they relate to
  reproductive and sexual health and rights.
• The French Member of the E P Ms. Genevieve
  Fraisse of the Committee on Womens Rights and
  Equal Opportunities organized the informal
  meeting of the ASTRA delegates with a group of 12
  Members of European Parliament, which included
  members of Womens Committee Ms. Anna
  Karamanou, the Chair, Ms. Marianne Eriksson and
  Olga Zrihen (Vice Chairs), Ms. Anne Van Lancker,
  Ms. Joke Swiebel, Ms. Christa Prets, Ms. Maria
  Martens as well as Ms. Elisabeth Schroedter
  (Committee of Foreign Affairs) and Ms. Ulla
  Sandbank (Committee on Development and
  Cooperation).