Tbilisi conference focuses on role of media in promoting gender equality
The OSCE holds several training workshops to
promote gender equality. (OSCE) Photo details
TBILISI, 21 July 2003 - Over 100 journalists and media experts from the Southern Caucasus, Central Asia and Baltic States gathered in Tbilisi today for a three-day international conference on the role of media in promoting gender equality.
The conference is organized by Georgian members of the international journalist association "GenderMediaCaucasus". They are taking part in a programme of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on Women's Leadership and NGO Coalition Building. The conference is supported by the ODIHR in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Georgia.
The journalists will focus on how to promote gender-sensitive reporting and how to avoid stereotypes. They will also discuss responsible reporting on issues such as domestic violence, trafficking in human beings and the need for media to provide a more complete coverage of women's participation in public and economic life.
"Women constitute one half of the media audience. However, media gives very little space to women's issues," said Marc Behrendt, Democratization Officer at the OSCE Mission to Georgia at the opening of the conference. "It would be fairer if journalists increased news coverage from the gender perpective."
All OSCE countries have committed themselves to promote gender equality. A recent OSCE meeting on the participation of women in public and economic life, held in May in Warsaw, resulted in concrete recommendations on the impact and power of media in promoting gender equality and breaking gender stereotypes.
The Tbilisi conference marks an important step in the implementation of these recommendations.
The conference is organized by Georgian members of the international journalist association "GenderMediaCaucasus". They are taking part in a programme of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on Women's Leadership and NGO Coalition Building. The conference is supported by the ODIHR in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Georgia.
The journalists will focus on how to promote gender-sensitive reporting and how to avoid stereotypes. They will also discuss responsible reporting on issues such as domestic violence, trafficking in human beings and the need for media to provide a more complete coverage of women's participation in public and economic life.
"Women constitute one half of the media audience. However, media gives very little space to women's issues," said Marc Behrendt, Democratization Officer at the OSCE Mission to Georgia at the opening of the conference. "It would be fairer if journalists increased news coverage from the gender perpective."
All OSCE countries have committed themselves to promote gender equality. A recent OSCE meeting on the participation of women in public and economic life, held in May in Warsaw, resulted in concrete recommendations on the impact and power of media in promoting gender equality and breaking gender stereotypes.
The Tbilisi conference marks an important step in the implementation of these recommendations.