The results of Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) 2005, the most extensive global research into gender in the media ever undertaken, showed that women are seriously under-represented in the news, worldwide. Less than a quarter of news subjects are women and their voices are heard far less than men’s in the topics that dominate the news agenda. Worldwide, in stories on government, politics, economics and business less than one in five include women as news subjects, despite women’s activity in these areas. Imbalanced representation of women and men in the media perpetuates stereotypes about gender. These stereotypes form the basis of practices of exclusion and discrimination in everyday life situations.
In Macedonian media, sexism, gender biases and insensitive coverage of violence are pervasive despite an awareness of the media as a socializing agent, influencing attitudes and behaviour.
Lessons from the campaign stress the importance of coalition building to draw on diverse strengths, and the use of a combination of advocacy tools, including lobbying, media advocacy and social mobilisation to achieve campaign goals. Given the critical role NGOs dealing with victims/survivors of domestic violence and the justice system played in lobbying for change and drafting the new law, their exclusion from the implementation process was ironic. While many advocacy efforts focus on the development of policy and legislation, ongoing efforts are needed to ensure effective implementation, the commitment of adequate resources and monitoring to identify gaps and propose new solutions.
Aims of the workshop:
This workshop seeks to de-mystify the media, gender and media advocacy by providing concrete steps, case studies, pointers, tips and information, with the aim of influencing gender representation and portrayal in and through the media. The participants will:
• discuss the agendas for who makes the news and the reasons why the media need to be a focus of gender activism
• discuss the importance of the interconnection among gender and the media and will define what gender and media advocacy entails
• exchange of experiences about good practices within the area of gender and media advocacy
• develop ideas for future work on the subject and cooperation/networking in Europe.
PAC Multimedia is realizing this program financially supported by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Education and Culture: Youth in Action Programme and by the European Youth Foundation, Directorate General IV: Education, Culture and Heritage, Youth and Sport