The British Deputy High Commission Kolkata supported NSHM Knowledge Campus’s ‘Y-Factor International Conference on Media and Society’ to mark International Women’s Day 2019, held at Birla Industrial Technological Museum (BITM), Kolkata on 8 March. Over the course of today and tomorrow, the sessions will discuss a number of topics including “Woman and Media”, as well as “Media and Human Rights”.
Bruce Bucknell, British Deputy High Commissioner Kolkata who inaugurated the two-day conference (8-9 March) said: “The UK Government is committed to a foreign policy, which consciously and consistently delivers for women and girls. This is not only the right thing to do. It is the smart thing to do.”
On the issue of gender equality and women’s empowerment, Mr Bucknell added: “No country can truly develop if it leaves half its population behind. Women make up over 50% of the population and deserve to have their voices heard and their rights protected. We believe girls and women everywhere should be treated equally, be empowered, and be safe.”
On the issue of media freedom, Mr Bucknell highlighted that: “Free media is the lifeblood of democracy and access to information is vital to any society. Media pluralism also continues to be limited by the ongoing fact that women remain heavily unrepresented in the media workforce and in decision-making roles. The UK continues to work hard to defend media freedom. Freedom of expression underpins all human rights – we must all defend a free media.” The British Deputy High Commission Kolkata along with the South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) supported this event.