A top CNN producer will visit Bermuda next week to meet with women's advocates, politicians and community leaders.

Cable Network News International executive producer Pam Benson has produced top programmes for CNN including coverage of the US Democratic and Republican conventions, Russian elections from Moscow, and the G7 Summit in Halifax.

She was invited to Bermuda by Akinstall International, a local women's research and development group.

Ms Benson has been with CNN since its inception and she moved to the Washington office in 1981. The international affairs post has been hers since 1990.

"I am not a women's producer by any stretch of the imagination,'' she said.

"I am the international affairs producer operating out of CNN's Washington Bureau.

"We do deal with women's issues at times but most of my work surrounds policy issues in Eastern Europe and Russia.

"We also do a programme called Global View for our international networks and that is where we have had the opportunity, occasionally, to explore issues that are very directly related to women.'' Ms Benson said CNN's coverage of the population conference in Cairo a few years ago featured several items that touched on women's issues such as reproductive rights and better educational systems.

She will attend a breakfast meeting at the US Consul General's official residence.

"I have never been to Bermuda but I first came into contact with Valirie Akinstall at the time of the women's conference in Beijing.

"She had called and spoke about women's issues in Bermuda and what her own group was going to do there (China).

"From talking to Valirie (Akinstall) it sounds as though there is a fairly active community of women.'' Ms Akinstall said that she decided to invite Ms Benson to Bermuda because she believed there was a need for local women to consider issues affecting them and women around the world.

"We need to look beyond our shores,'' she said. "What do we do that can benefit women in other areas? "Have we really attempted to look beyond our economic development?'' Bermuda has to look at political, economical, social, and cultural issues facing its women, Ms Akinstall stressed.

"While we are far ahead of many countries in terms of economic development,'' she said, "there is no economic policy for women. And we're tapping into social development late.'' Ms Akinstall said Ms Benson's visit may lead to CNN producing a programme on the role of women in Bermuda.

While Ms Akinstall said she expected eight women -- including researchers, politicians, businesswomen, and representatives of women's groups -- to attend the breakfast meeting.

"The round table discussion will focus on the agenda of national and international women's issues,'' she added.

Lena Ostroff, of Amnesty International and La Leche League, Grace Rawlins of the Alpha, Kappa, Alpha Sorority, Progressive Labour Party MP Ms Renee Webb, Emma Mitchell of Harris and Mitchell Associates, Deborah Jackson, director of administration at Appleby Spurling and Kempe and Michelle Khaldun general manager of the Small Business Development Corporation, have all been invited to attend.

There will also be an evening reception in the Adams Lounge of Hamilton Princess on February 20.

At that time Ms Benson will make a presentation on women and media coverage, the role of the media in the coverage of international affairs and politics and international affairs and global concerns. Admission is $45.

CNN's Pam Benson TELEVISION TV