One of the most important steps to end up the abuse of human rights is to make everyone aware of his or her rights. In empowering minority groups different types of media play a crucial role. As the issues raised by various feminist organizations, minority groups are usually marginal to social and political life, media engagement is central to the outcome of social movements and NGOs in Poland. The example of Ewa Tomaszewicz’s activities on Wedding in the air project and many other NGOs actions prove that media has been shown to be an effective tool which may break the silence related to certain problems in regards to human rights. I think that the use of such tools as social campaigns, facebook, twitter gives a lot of opportunities to increase the attractiveness of the projects in general as well as increase the chance to reach bigger group of recipients.
Social movements rely on media to great extent in order to gain social and political support. In the contemporary world new media has made it easier and faster for many of NGOs to reinforce their message, make it clearer as well as often more attractive. In my opinion, the crucial issue for them is that if they want to be considered as relevant and important they must respond to the media by using different concepts, forms, new ideas, artistic experiments. Barbie Girls cabaret, various visual actions in regards to ‘Wedding in the air’, postcards, t-shirts are great illustrations of such response. Based on my personal observation I think the Foundation Mimo Wszystko and Polish Humanitarian Organisation proved to be most effective in conducting consequent promotional activities in Poland. By exposing the violation of rights, by bringing to the attention concerns of silenced groups through accurate forms, NGOs gain the chance to break the difficulties between media expectations and human rights problems. Media may produce visible positive result by generating dialogue with people, which was central to the success of the world's first same-sex wedding in the air of Gosia and Ewa or program ‘Pajacyk’ organized by PAH, whose goal is to feed children at schools. In their case the realm of social media played a significant role in the public sphere, as platforms in which ideas were exchanged and discussed by individuals and groups from every corner of the world. Such social media as facebook or twitter are used as quasi-public sphere which may influence a social movement’s outcome.
The desired social change is often determined by the relationship between the organization, media and the recipients. The often difficult challenge in today’s reality for NGOs is that they must struggle to maintain their principles and values. There is always a possibility to face and step into conflict with the values of others. However in the age of facebook and growing potential of youth media, the response of these NGOs to every-changing social media characterizes the internal dynamics of organizations, movements, and their capacities to deliver these important messages to society.
I think that what is most important to their motivation is that they need the media attention; however, media do not need social movements, NGOs etc.
