Disabled people
are insufficiently represented in media output and the number of disabled
people employed in the sector is generally very low. Without doubt the mass
media has a significant impact on society and a major role to play in promoting
a shift in attitudes and the way society looks at disability. Disabled people
represent a vast audience that is currently inadequately catered for, and
the media industry will therefore gain from addressing this issue more effectively.
This declaration
has been prepared and adopted at the European Congress on “Media and Disability” held
in Athens on 13-14 June, 2003 by over 300 participants from different parts
of the media, media networks, advertising and communication companies, organizations
of disabled people and representatives of EU Member States. It is adopted within
the framework of the European Year of People with Disabilities 2003, and
follows the common vision established in the Madrid Declaration.
The representatives
at the European Congress on Media and Disability declare that they will:
promote
change in the mainstream media sector to improve its portrayal and
inclusion of
disabled people
increase the
visibility of disabled people in all genres;
increase coverage
of issues which specifically concern disabled people and their families;
promote positive
images of disabled people that are not based on charity or the medical
approach and avoid negative stereotypes;
encourage close
cooperation between disabled people and their representative organisations,
the disability specific media and the mainstream media industry;
increase the
number of disabled people employed throughout the media industry, particularly
at professional levels;
ensure the accessibility
for disabled people of media services;
ensure the physical
accessibility of the working environment in the media industry;
and they will take
this back to their individual organisations for discussion and endorsement.
Suggested ways
in which the above aims can be achieved:
Production of
actions plans and development of strategies to promote inclusion of disabled
people within media organisations;
Development
of diversity units within media organisations and the inclusion of disability
issues within their practices;
Delivery of
disability equality training for employees within the organizations;
Encouragement
of Further Education establishments to include disability as a topic within
media and communication studies courses;
Exchange of
best practice within the sector and encouragement of monitoring of progress;
Where appropriate,
development of training and employment programmes to increase the participation
of disabled people with the sector;
Access audits
of workplaces in the media industry;
Development
and use of appropriate technologies to promote access for and inclusion
of disabled people to media services;
Joining the
new EDF media and disability network that will be established as a result
of this declaration.
As a result of
this congress and to take forward the declaration, a committee will be set
up by the European Disability Forum, in cooperation with European and national
media and advertising organisations. The membership of the committee will
be established by October 2003.
Organisations are
encouraged to endorse this declaration.
For further information,
please contact EDF: Helena González-Sancho; Communication Officer; Tel: 00
32 2 282 46 04; Fax: 00 32 2 282 46 09; e-mail: communication@edf-feph.org