Moreover, the debt burden has forced many developing countries to undertake structural adjustment policies that are detrimental to their social development. Non governmental organizations have played an important advocacy role in advancing legislation or mechanisms to ensure the promotion of women. They have also become catalysts for new approaches to development. Many Governments have increasingly recognized the important role that nongovernmental organizations play and the importance of working with them for progress. Women, through nongovernmental organizations, have participated in and strongly influenced community, national, regional and global forums and international debates.
Many women face particular barriers because of various diverse factors in addition to their gender.
Such women are often denied the opportunity to contribute to their communities as part of the mainstream. In the past 20 years, the world has seen an explosion in the field of communications. With advances in computer technology and satellite and cable television, global access to information continues to increase and expand, creating new opportunities for the participation of women in communications and the mass media and for the dissemination of information about women. On the other hand, the global communication networks have been used to spread stereotyped and demeaning images of women for narrow commercial and consumerist purposes. Until women participate equally in both the technical and decision-making areas of communications and the mass media, including the arts, they will continue to be misrepresented and awareness of the reality of women's lives will continue to be lacking.