of women: (a) Encourage the development of educational and training programmes for women in order to produce information for the mass media, including funding of experimental efforts, and the use of the new technologies of communication, cybernetics space and satellite, whether public or private; (b) Encourage the use of communication systems, including new technologies, as a means of strengthening women’s participation in democratic processes; (c) Facilitate the compilation of a directory of women media experts; (d) Encourage the participation of women in the development of professional guidelines and codes of conduct or other appropriate self-regulatory mechanisms to promote balanced and non-stereotyped portrayals of women by the media. 242. By non-governmental organizations and media professional associations: (a) Encourage the establishment of media watch groups that can monitor the media and consult with the media to ensure that women’s needs and concerns are properly reflected; (b) Train women to make greater use of information technology for communication and the media, including at the international level; (c) Create networks among and develop information programmes for non-governmental organizations, women’s organizations and professional media organizations in order to recognize the specific needs of women in the media, and facilitate the increased participation of women in communication, in particular at the international level, in support of South-South and North-South dialogue among and between these organizations, inter alia, to promote the human rights of women and equality between women and men; (d) Encourage the media industry and education and media training institutions to develop, in appropriate languages, traditional, indigenous and other ethnic forms of media, such as story-telling, drama, poetry and song, reflecting their cultures, and utilize these forms of communication to disseminate information on development and social issues. Strategic objective J.2. Promote a balanced and non-stereotyped portrayal of women in the media Actions to be taken 243. By Governments and international organizations, to the extent consistent with freedom of expression: (a) Promote research and implementation of a strategy of information, education and communication aimed at promoting a balanced portrayal of women and girls and their multiple roles; -101-