I attach a press release that we issued last week. It is still highly relevant. Basically we are lobbying the government to include in the remit of the proposed Equalities and Human Rights Commissioner, a role to review the Scottish media in order to prevent unfair and unjust coverage.

The Forum on Discrimination is outraged by some of the unbalanced and untrue media coverage of for example people with disabilities, asylum seekers, gypsy travellers and mental health patients. It is not fair to target and vilify some of the weakest sectors of society in order to create sensational headlines. At the moment the onus is on the misrepresented to speak up for themselves, but this can be a daunting and intimidating thing to have to do. Usually people can't manage or can't be bothered and therefore suffer the consequences of this misrepresentation. We want this issue to be tackled at a government level. See the attached press release.

I hope you will be able to include an article on this in your newsletter too.

Millicent

Forum on Discrimination
Scottish Civic Forum
Tel.: 0131 557 6767
www.forumondiscrimination.org.uk

The Forum on Discrimination (FonD) has had a good idea We have created a bulletin board for you to use as a virtual Forum on Discrimination.

This just means that you can share information with others via the FonD website even if you can't meet them face to face.

The internet is a valuable resource for sharing information so I really hope you will use this new page. Be the first to post a comment or share an idea!

Go here to tell us your idea, ask your question or share your information. For example, please:

• share information you have about how to get resources
• tell people what you thought of the FonD national event
• tell people how you have made a change in your community
• share your idea for how this network can impact discrimination
• tell us how you want us to follow up the work we've started in your area

Ask who the person was who you were sitting next to and who told you about her interesting work If you don't want to look at it now, just go to our website www.forumondiscrimination.org.uk when you have a moment and click on 'Virtual Forum' to add a comment or click on 'Bulletin Board' to see what others have written.

I look forward to seeing what you have to say and to sharing it with our 700+ members.  You're bound to know something that could be useful to others, and maybe they can help you if you only ask them.

This is your network.  Use it!

Millicent

Forum on Discrimination
Scottish Civic Forum
Tel.: 0131 557 6767
www.forumondiscrimination.org.uk

PRESS RELEASE

www.civicforum.org.uk www.forumondiscrimination.org.uk

A Media Role for the Scottish Human Rights Commissioner

The establishment of a Scottish Human Rights Commission is an excellent opportunity to encourage a change in culture in some sections of the media in Scotland.

Reporting on issues relating to asylum-seekers, ethnic minority groups including Gypsy/Travellers, mentally ill people and gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender people have been cited as examples in relation to unjust reporting. A frequent and strongly expressed view in Scottish Civic Forum and Forum on Discrimination events has been that the content and influence of some sections of the media is unjust.

There are also wider issues for a democracy, for example the failure to present accurately a fair range of viewpoints.

There is good as well as bad practice in the media and the aim of a media review body would be to highlight the good practice as well as collecting evidence and reporting on the bad.

This is not censorship. It is an attempt to change the climate by monitoring media and publicising and debating outcomes.

The UN's Paris Principles on national human rights bodies suggest that a key feature of any commission should be to educate and promote awareness of good and bad practice. The Scottish Commission should have a proactive role in relation to media.

While the Human Rights Commission would not be able to take on all of the proposed roles of a Media Commission, it could certainly take on a significant role in relation to media.

We hope that MSPs would seek to specify this when the legislation proceeds through Parliament. In particular, one of the two vice-commissioners could be given a media review role as part of their remit.

The Forum on Discrimination and Scottish Civic Forum actively promote the establishment of a Scottish Media Review Commission.

Notes to editors

The Scottish Civic Forum is the organisation that builds links between Scottish politics and Scottish people. It is committed to building a new culture of active citizenship, in which the people of Scotland have a genuine opportunity to be involved in influencing the Government policies that affect their lives.

The Scottish Parliament was won after many years of campaigning by politicians and civic groups. Now that the Parliament and Executive are a reality, the Scottish Civic Forum exists to ensure that the partnership between parliament and people is sustained. The SCF exists to promote a new way of doing politics in Scotland based on the principles set out by the Consultative Steering Group (CSG). We support the move to a participative democracy believing that there is more to democracy than casting a vote every four or five years.

Our vision is that the Scottish Civic Forum will help break the mould of old fashioned politics. It will increase participation, find new ways to open up dialogue, raise awareness and stimulate debate on the many challenges facing Scotland. It will have a vital role in creating a more open and broadly based political culture . The Scottish Civic Forum acts as a gateway between Scottish Government, civic organisations and wider society. As an independent organisation, we also look at how the Scottish Parliament and Executive are working, and suggest ways in which government might become more democratic. It is essential that we reach those people whose voices are not currently being heard.

Please contact the editor@anAurora.co.uk with any stories or features that you would like us to publish for you.

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