Indigenous Day to stress on access to media

KATHMANDU, Aug 8: The International Day of the World´s Indigenous People, celebrated each year on August 9, is being organized this year under the theme “Indigenous Media, Empowering Indigenous Voices”, said United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).



UNESCO said that the theme was chosen to highlight the role of media in supporting development models in line with the priorities, cultures and knowledge systems of indigenous peoples.[break]



UNESCO, in its statement issued Wednesday, said that in Nepal, indigenous communities have so far little access, voice and participation in the mainstream media.



"We need to build the capacity of indigenous journalists, and to sensitize media professionals from as many ethnic groups as possible to better understand and cover the issues affecting indigenous people," the statement quoted Axel Plathe, head of the UNESCO in Kathmandu.



UNESCO underscored the need of giving special attention to the issues like mother tongue content, access to information and communication technologies and inclusion of indigenous journalists, both women and men, in the mainstream media.

Related story

Dealing with stress