Bristol Twestival gets creative

Claire Thompson, freelance PR consultant, Waves PR

Loving this video by Bristol’s Twestival gang

International Women’s Day: ARTICLE 19 Affirms the Rights of Women with the Right to Free Expression

8 March 2010

International Women’s Day: ARTICLE 19 Affirms the Rights of Women with the Right to Free Expression

ARTICLE 19 joins the global community on International Women’s Day to celebrate the leadership and contribution of thousands of women around the world who strive for women’s equality and empowerment through their daily work.

ARTICLE 19 reaffirms the importance of gender equality as a key component of the right to freedom of expression. As ARTICLE 19 Executive Director, Dr Agnes Callamard, states: “Women’s voices are all too often silent in the media and other public spaces. Women must be heard and must be able to receive information on issues that affect them. Women journalists, activists, community leaders and others must be allowed and encouraged to articulate their views and tell their stores. They must be able to engage freely in their work, without fear of censorship, harassment or violence.”

ARTICLE 19 here reflects the experiences of just a few women who have stood up for freedom of expression in some of the countries in which we work.

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Social media: Is slactivism/mousey activism enough?

Claire Thompson, freelance PR consultant, Waves PR

Panel at Amnesty International Debate

We’ve all done it. Turned our icons green or pink or red. Or added a Twitter avatar. Retweeted a good cause. Posted something to a profile. Joined a fan page.

Social media makes it easy to support a cause, but to what effect?

Take Twitter. Things aren’t right in Iran, but somehow Iran is yesterday’s tweet. Haiti was so last month. Support is big, powerful and turns it’s glare on an issue, but it’s  as fleeting as an article in yesterday’s paper.

Social media support for human rights can amount to little more than ‘slacktivism’ (coined by Kevin Anderson, the Guardian) or ‘mousey activism’ (coined by Annabelle Sreberny, Professor of Global Media and Communication, School of Oriental and African Studies).

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My Christmas Present

This year, I wanted  to do something for the people I work and share ideas with on a daily basis.

So my ‘thank you’ gift is a tree, planted and protected in Otterbourne, Kent, by the Woodland Trust.

Tree dedication, Waves PR (pdf)

I wish you a wonderful solstice, a Merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.