Promoting Disability Equality: Enhanced diversity in African Media

The initiative aims to promote disability equality in media coverage, accessible content production and inclusive management practices.

Around 15 percent of the world population is living with a form of disability, over a billion people. They are entitled to receive, seek and access public information on equal basis with other citizens. In commercial terms, however, persons with disabilities are rarely considered worth exploring as an audience, customers and users.

In his opening remarks at the 3^rd African Media Convention, Mr Charles Abani, UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana acknowledged the important of disability in equality in media and welcomed UNESCO's efforts.

"As part of ensuring we leave no one behind, let me underscore the media's duty to also prioritize disability inclusion within the media landscape. I applaud UNESCO for organizing the workshop for African media editors and managers, a proactive step towards promoting and advancing disability equality as a precursor to the convention. The media wields considerable influence in shaping societal attitudes. Neglecting, misrepresenting, or overlooking the needs of the 16 percent of the global population living with disabilities undermines our commitment to inclusivity and the pledge to ensure that no one is left behind".

The workshop on 14 May 2024 was attended by representatives from the public broadcasters of Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and community media and media regulators organizations in Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South African and Uganda, as well as civil society organizations of persons with disabilities in Ghana.

During the full-day meeting on the eve of Africa's most important media convention, the senior executives and managers, including editors, regulators, and broadcasters, discussed and explored how enhanced diversity improves press coverage and representation, as well as increases editorial independence and professionalism. It also opens up new revenue streams, for example through providing news content and services for consumers using assistive technologies when accessing information.

Persons with disabilities are seldom seen as credible sources, potential customers and users of media content and services, as their needs and preferences are rarely fully understood, nor are technological solutions explored in newsrooms, production studios and management boards.

The delegates of the 3^rd African Media Convention recalled in their outcome document "Accra Declaration 2024" that:

"The integration of disability and diversity inclusion into media employment practices and content generation through guidelines and frameworks on gender equality and social inclusion, ensuring that all voices are represented and heard within the African Media landscape".

Therefore, UNESCO will soon launch a new practical manual and masterclass video series to enhance disability equality in the media (link), which will be available in Open Access licence (CC-BY-SA 3.0 IGO) and accessible to all for free on the internet.

For more information on UNESCO's work on Diversity in Media, please visit: www.unesco.org/en/media-pluralism-diversity/media-diversity

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