NAM Countries Urged To Fully Utilise NAM News Network

By Anas Abu Hassan and Yasmin Abdul Manan KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 (Bernama) -- Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) member countries have been advised to take advantage of the NAM News Network (NNN) to develop greater flow of information among them. Venezuelan Ambassador to Malaysia Manuel Guzman said NAM member countries should not rely solely on the international media for current news across the globe. The international media would package the news with their own interests, he said. "So, by having NNN, we can guarantee the source of the news," Guzman told Bernama here on Tuesday. Guzman lauded Malaysia for playing a significant role in initiating the NNN in 2005 to disseminate information and news among NAM member countries, and said the news service managed by the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) had greatly benefited all member countries. It was an important channel for members countries to gain information, he added. Guzman suggested that NAM member countries discuss ways to improve the news network at the ongoing NAM summit in Margarita Island, Venezuela. The meeting, which began Tuesday, ends on Sunday. Venezuela will take over the NAM presidency from Iran, and helm the movement until 2019. NAM, with 120 member states, is the second largest international body after the United Nations. On Malaysia's role in addressing the issue of women empowerment in NAM member countries, Guzman said Malaysia had certainly undertaken many efforts in reducing gender equality at many levels. He said there had been remarkable progress on the gender agenda in Malaysia where many ministerial posts and senior positions are held by women. "I can say that Malaysia has certainly taken this issue seriously considering the fact that women in this country are given the same opportunities as men to shoulder different types of responsibilities at various strata," he said. "Women in Malaysia are certainly very advanced. We can see them working hand-in-hand with men while contributing vastly towards the economic development of the nation and its well-being," he said. However, Guzman stressed that despite the fact that there was an immense shift in women's role today, there was still "a long challenging route" that must endure before enjoying total gender equality and empowerment of women. "We still have a long way to go and a lot to achieve before reaching greater gender equality. There are still women sacrificing their profession to stay home and take care of their children," he said. In May 2005, Malaysia hosted a Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Ministerial Meeting on the Advancement of Women aimed at giving women a platform for empowerment and help them face issues pertaining to globalisation. Later, in July 2006, the NAM Institute for the Empowerment of Women (NIEW) was established under the purview of the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development to help enhance women empowerment. --BERNAMA