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Women and the media: new challenges |
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30 2008
The media has incredible potential to be a change agent in relation to gender equality. Considering that women are the central focus of only 10% of news stories, mass media in general does not give an accurate representation of reality or take into account the current changes in perceptions or gender norms and roles.
This was one of the addresses of Carmen Moreno, Director of UN-INSTRAW, during her participation in the Seminar: “Women and the Alliance of Civilizations: Opportunities and Challenges” that took place on 28 and 29 April, 2008 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Presided over by President Fernández de Kirchner, the seminar covered four themes: 1) women and education, 2) youth as a means of solidarity and mobilization, 3) women and migration, and 4) women and the media.
During her statement, the Director of UN-INSTRAW stressed the importance of media – including virtual new virtual media – for the spreading information, influence perceptions, and driving debate. “Today, the media’s dissemination of stereotypical and imbalanced images of women and men strengthens the gender inequality and discrimination that is typical of patriarchal society” stated Carmen Moreno.
During the seminar, UN-INSTRAW called for more research on the portrayal of women and men in the media and its impact on public opinion and gender norms and roles, and for the establishment of ethical codes for the media that make discriminatory stereotypes of both women and men in the media unacceptable.
“It is necessary to increase the representation of women in mass media as leaders, politicians, workers, academics and other alternative roles that challenge the image of women as domestics, victims and sexual objects,” said Moreno. “Furthermore, it is crucial to promote the development of alternative, community, popular, feminist and indigenous media to ensure a diversity of voices, perceptions and opinions,” she emphasized.
The Seminar was attended by multiple specialists and representatives from around the world, including the Spanish Chancellor Miquel Angel Moratinos; the High Representative of the United Nations for the Alliance of Civilizations and former President of Portugal, Jorge Sampaio; the Secretary of the State for Iberoamerica of the Spanish Government, Trinidad Kimenez; the Secretary General of Iberoamerica, Enrique Iglesias; and the representative of the Turkish Government, Hasan Gogus.
Today, women constitute 52% of the world’s population, yet make up only 21% of those represented in the news. Furthermore, 86% of spokespersons are men and 83% of experts in the media are men. (World Association of Christian Communication).
Listen to the interview with UN Radio (available in Spanish)
Read "Women and the Media: New Challenges"
Press contact:
Valeria Vilardo
Communications Associate
001 - 809 6852111/227
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