UNESCO is committed to the principle of equality of opportunity and more equitable gender balance in the media. This commitment ensues from the 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing 1995. UNESCO’s web-based initiative, Women Make the News 2004, is designed to bring the attention to the fact that even though there are more women working in the media than before this does not mean that gender equality has been achieved. Of those women who are hired by media organisations, most are actually to be found in administrative jobs rather than in news production and editorial posts usually associated with the creation and development of media output.

UNESCO data show that women have pursued higher-level mass communication education in increasing numbers over the past 15 years. However, the proportion of women finding employment in the mass media is by no means commensurate with their training. There is a clear gap between the number of women who receive communication training and the number working in the media. In terms of journalism, a handful of women do cover and can expect to cover serious issues and their advancement will be the result of sheer determination. There are still very few women serving on governing boards or bodies that influence media policy.

UNESCO is convinced that unless all talented journalists have an equal chance of becoming editors and media executives, media cannot claim to be genuinely pluralistic or to be a principal means of nurturing democracy and human rights in society.

Women make the news 2004 UNESCO initiative

Why UNESCO has taken this initiative?

Why UNESCO coordinates Women Make the News?

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