Gender-Sensitive Indicators For Media: Framework Of Indicators To Gauge Gender Sensitivity In Media Operations And Content

The aim of the Gender-Sensitive Indicators for Media (GSIM) is to contribute to gender equality and women’s empowerment in and through media of all forms, irrespective of the technology used. The main focus of this publication is on the equality and gender dimensions of social diversity in the media. The document, published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in cooperation with the International Federation of Journalists and other partners, has elaborated this global framework of GSIM as a part of a suite of indicators being developed across all sectors of the organisation to enable effective assessment of diagnosis of areas within UNESCO’s mandate of media development. The document received broad consultation and contribution from many individuals, as noted on page 5 of the document (please see the link below).

The document serves to unite two perspectives: equality between women and men working in the media and equality in news reporting on women and men. The process that led to the preparation of GSIM extended over a two-year period. It began in early 2010 with a global debate on the UNESCO Women Make the News platform. A first draft of GSIM was then prepared, and a year later it was reviewed during an international consultation in Brussels, Belgium. Then, a second draft was prepared, and in order to further enrich it, a second round of consultation was carried out with UNESCO media partners globally. This consultation enabled UNESCO to underline that GSIM is not an attempt to limit freedom of expression and the independence of media, but to voluntarily enrich these characteristics.

Contents include:

• "Introduction
• Category A: Actions to foster gender equality within media organizations
  • Gender balance at decision-making level
  • Gender equality in work and working conditions
  • Gender equality in unions, associations, clubs and organizations of journalists, other media professionals and media self-regulatory bodies
  • Media organizations promote ethical codes and policies in favour of gender equality in media content
  • Gender balance in education and training
• Category B: Gender portrayal in media content
  • Gender portrayal in news & current affairs
  • Gender portrayal in advertising
• References, Links, and a Glossary
• Case Studies"

Click here to access this document in PDF format.

Click here to read about the GSIM.

Click here to access a list of UNESCO Gender and MEDIA publications.

Click here to access information on the Women Make the News (WMN) initiative under the theme Towards a Global Alliance on Media and Gender (GAMG).

Click here to read about the Global Forum on Media and Gender, December 2-4 2013, one of the key outputs of which was to set up the GAMG.