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by Elmo Leonard

Newspapermen are strange animals, is a remark, made in lighter vein, by Professon Werner vom Busch, during his presentation, `the role of media in society: news selling and social responsibility - a contradiction?' delivered in Colombo, last week.

Prof von Busch, told a large delegation, mainly women journalists from the SAARC region, that he would confine his presentation to newspapers, but, in principal, all his statements were true for other privately owned media as well. He focussed on journalists, because they do the job.

Prof Vom Busch is director - regional media programme, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) Singapore.

The residential workshop, was within the framework of `South Asian Working Group on Gender and Poverty,' organised by KAS, Sri Lanka and Agromart Foundation. The South Asian Working Group on Gender and Poverty was formed in 2003 by five NGOs and institutions from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Within the group they want to contribute to the economic empowerment and political empowerment of the poor women and to share experiences and collaborate with relevant stakeholders in advocating gender and poverty issues.

KAS bids boodbye to Sri Lanka following a presence of 36 years and will carry out future programmes, here, directed from New Delhi. KAF resident representative in Sri Lanka, Dr Carola Stein that KAF is an independent, non-profit-making political foundation based in the Federal Republic of Germany, founded in 1956.

KAS carries the name of the first chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany after World War II - Konrad Adenauer. Adenauer, is reputed with saying, `Peace and freedom, these are the foundations of humane existence. Without peace and freedom, nations cannot develop and mankind can enjoy neither happiness or tranquillity. Peace for a single human being is impossible without peace for the community. Peace for the individual is impossible without peace for his or her nation. But peace without freedom is no peace.'

One of the objectives of the conference was to inform and mobilise the media to report on emerging issues faced by women in the SAARC region. Also, to provide a forum for NGOs and media to form a partnership for gender and social activity.

It was made out at the seminar that NGOs exist because governments cannot do "some things." There is always good and bad everywhere, and while some NGOs were good, some were not so good. In an ensuring debate, participants underscored that journalists should not accept money or gifts from NGOs or anyone for services rendered.

Dr Stein said that the policies of Konad Adenauer Stiftung are based on the firm belief that a pluralistic democracy is the best possible system of organising the state and the civil society. KAS thinks that democracy is the ideal way to promote social justice and peace.

That conviction came with the very bitter experience of the dictatorship and oppression, Germany lived through during the times of Adolf Hitler and the NAZI Regime.

In the thinking of KAF, democracy needs not only be free and fair elections, while it is vital. It further needs a separation of powers, rule of law, competition of political parties, respect of human rights and civil liberties. And democracy needs the presence of a free and responsible media, being crucial, Dr Stain said.

And furthermore democracy needs the responsible and active participation of citizens in democratic institutions, organisations and groups.

In many countries around the world KAF implements programmes to promote democracy, rule of law, social market economy and human rights. KAF programmes are mainly focused on: promoting international political dialogue and the exchange of information and experience; training of political and social leaders; introducing and strengthening democratic institutions and processes; creating and developing social organisations, Dr Stein said.

One focus of KAF is to strengthen disadvantaged groups of the society. In the late 1990s KAF started a programme on poverty alleviation in the SAARC region.

At that time politicians and experts had come to the conclusion that the number of poor people in the region had increased dramatically and that new approaches of dealing with poverty had to be identified, Dr Stein said.

The new concept of the KAF is to focus on the social mobilisation of the poor, especially poor women. The poor should no longer be just the target group for development, they should be part of the process, meaning the programmes should not be done for the people but together with the people. Such a concept was holistic and inclusive, Dr Stein said.

Through diverse initiatives KAF aimed at integrating poor women into the mainstream development process, in the economic as well as political process. "We also wanted to create "support coalitions" of self help groups with politicians, universities, media and other important stakeholders and to strengthen the policy dialogue. And one major focus lied on the capacity building of the various stakeholders," Dr Stein said.

KAS wants to build bridges within the society and to start a process of change and development, Dr Stein said. "We want to highlight the important role which the media can play to promote the development of women in the SAARC region. We want to build a pro-active coalition between NGOs and the media for the better future not only for women but for the societies as a whole in the SAARC region," Dr stein said.

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