HBF's Community Radio Baseline study (2008) revealed that women presenters and discussion on gender are still limited in community radio broadcasting. The ratio of men and women presenters was 9:5. For program contents, about 15.2% of community radio stations have no special programs for women, while contents specially catering to women are mostly concerned with health care (27%), followed by child rearing-parenting with 17 %. From the feasibility survey preceding this project, it had been found that technical problems such as controlling transmitter and computer skills are basic skills that women lack.

Therefore, the Empowering Women in Community Radio Project has been initiated by HBF and the Centre for Multiculturism and Educational Policy (CMEP), Faculty of Education at Chiang Mai University, in order to increase the channels in community radio stations to communicate on gender issues.

The first workshop was held on July 29-31 of 2008 at International Centre at Chiang Mai University. 21 participants from six community radio stations in Chiang Mai and Lumpoon province attended.

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