The project support the mass media in ensuring gender equality started to produce results as the self-assessment of the participating media outlets showed that the number of articles and programs featuring women is on the rise. On the other hand, the number of articles and programs about migration continues to be low. The Association of Independent Press (API), which implements the project, staged a roundtable meeting entitled “Ensuring of gender equality in the mass media and reporting on migrant women” within which there were presented the results of the 30 media outlets involved in the program, IPN reports.
IPN News Agency is part of this program and, even if it does not yet properly ensure gender equality, it is among the media outlets that make progress in this regard.
In the opening of the roundtable meeting, API executive director Petru Macovei said the goal of the project is not to obtain greater visibility of women in press articles, but to obtain a balance in the representation of women and men.
Vasile Cantarji, coordinator of the self-assessment project, said that about 50,000 materials were analyzed within the project in September –March. About half of these were disseminated by the online media. In March, over 20% of these featured women. However, over 50% of them featured men. But the percentage last month was higher compared with the previous months. In general, the materials featuring women represented 19%. The print media continue to have the best performance. About 25% of their articles featured women. Traditionally, the political area remains the least represented by women. But the slight increase in this area is a positive indicator.
Loretta Handrabura, expert who analyzed the articles from qualitative viewpoint, said the media outlets already provide a discourse that tenders to ensure gender equality. But gender disparities exist at both of the media poles – broadcaster and receiver. There were situations when women invited to the programs refused to have their post feminized, etc.
Gender equality expert Olga Nicolenco, noted she observed that the journalists act like most of the people. Some are more open and accept that gender stereotypes cause harm, while others continue to promote them.
The project to support the mass media in ensuring gender equality is implemented by the API with support from the UN Program “Women in Politics”.
