Bangkok, Thailand - Early this year, Thailand launched its own Public Broadcasting System (PBS), making it a pioneer in the Asia-Pacific region. A PBS is a non-profit media organisation that produces public interest and service-oriented programmes. It is independent even as it is supported by public funds.

Bangkok, Thailand – Thailand has one of the most vibrant community radio landscape in South East Asia with over 3,000 community radios throughout the country.

A proposed gender policy in community radio was presented for the first time at the regional roundtable meeting of the World Association of Community Broadcasters (AMARC) on 9 July 2008 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Informed by an extensive survey conducted by AMARC-Women's International Network Asia-Pacific, the proposed gender policy reinforces the crucial nature of women's participation in community radio.

The attempt in engendering the WSIS process indeed stretched the resources and capacities of feminist individuals, organisations and networks. But regardless of the magnitude or minuteness of its achievements, WSIS was a space which disturbed traditional working relationships in women's networks, civil society, and summits.

What is WSIS again?

This is the question that may most likely crop up from a local development worker. But for feminists who are keen on responding to the impact of the information and communications technologies in our very exercise and advocacy of human rights, WSIS is more than a name recall.

By Bianca Miglioretto

Two months ago, I was assigned by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to conduct a three-week radio production workshop on community radio in Laos. I was thrilled by the fact that I would be part of the beginning of the country’s first ever community radio in recent decades. It was indeed a huge challenge but at the same time a great experience.