The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has initiated steps to establish a Women Media Observatory. The observatory is introduced due to lack of existing system that snags women's progress in the media in OIC member states and to encourage more members to participate in the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) conducted by the United Nations. The project also aims to highlight the role of Muslim countries in supporting the progress of women in general and particularly in the media sector. The Director of OIC's Information Department Ms. Maha Akeel noted that the Women Media Observatory would issue special reports on women's coverage and role of women in the media in OIC member states. The observatory will also disseminate reports about successes and achievements of Muslim women and importantly reports on position of women in Islam. She added that the observatory would also develop a guideline on best women empowerment practices in and through the media, and to combat discrimination to which women are subjected to amid terrorism. Ms. Maha also explained that "there are on-going consultations to consider the possibility of initiating a women media prize for the best press reports and media achievements by women in the OIC member states, and to provide financial support to media institutions who are helping in boosting women's place in the media." She noted that the observatory would liaise with the OIC's Organization for Women Development, upon its activation, to implement all the provisions of the OIC resolution on women empowerment in and through media including organizing activities, workshops and symposia, drawing on its initial functions and mandate set out in its rules of procedure. It is worth mentioning that the 11th session of the Islamic Conference of OIC Information Ministers held in Jeddah, this month issued a resolution on empowering women in and through the media including the establishment of the women media observatory. One of the aims of establishing the observatory, according to Ms. Maha, is due to the fact that "the image of the Muslim world, Islam and Muslims as it is portrayed in the media, particularly Western media, is mostly negative, distorted and in many cases false, stereotypical or ignorant." She added that women are among the segments in the Muslim world who are most misrepresented or underrepresented in the media, whether in the OIC member states or outside them.
