Libro

MEDIA LITERACY AND INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE
Strategies, Debates and Good Practices
1. Introduction
This project has been established in the town of Pamplona, Norte de
Santander, with women in the municipal associations representing the lower
middle economic strata and who reflect the status of an important part of the
society studied.
Pamplona is a city in the Municipality of Norte de Santander, its land area is 318
km2. The urban area of the city has been classified as capital of the
Southwestern province of the Municipality, in recent decades urbanization has
incorporated rural to urban areas. In rural areas the average earnings are lower
than those prevailing in urban areas. In recent years the situation has
worsened. There is low productivity and by consequence work in rural areas is
poorly paid. Many have problems accessing social services. These areas are
also characterised with poor health and high illiteracy rates and school
dropouts.
Through women's associations present in the territory, we wanted to approach a
part of the population that is particularly affected by inequalities, whether
educational levels, access to resources and development opportunity. We
wanted to approach women to meet and discuss their experiences and life
stories, to transmit knowledge and alternative visions of reality.
2. Context of study
The spread of neoliberal policies (economic liberalization, fiscal adjustment,
reduction of economic and social role of the state, labour flexibility) in many
South American countries has resulted in increasing poverty and hunger,
unemployment and underemployment, the privatization of basic social services
and increasingly difficult access to them by the majority of the population. In
Colombia the situation was further complicated with the escalation of armed
conflict.
While it is undeniable that in recent years, Colombian society has made
significant changes and advances in many sectors of society, in the complex
social and political context outlined above, the situation of women has been
noticeably affected. The deterioration in the provision and access to basic social
services and rising unemployment and underemployment has been persistent
features of this South American country. Similarly, there was an increase
internal displacement and to neighbouring countries, particularly among women
(Ahumada, 2008).
Colombia is characterized by a large gap between legal regulations and the
socio-political realities. While there is broad recognition of women’s rights, in
practice, due to specific socio-political realities, it is extremely difficult to realize
them (Meertens, 2007). This situation makes it harder to visualize the
discrimination and violence perpetrated against them and therefore also hinders
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