On April 25-26, the International Conference on Media Literacy and Media Self-Regulation took place. As the speakers of the conference noted, if the media do not take steps in the direction of self-regulation and co-regulation, then the state will come and forcefully do as it pleases. Self-regulation is about the rules and obligations assumed by media representatives. The issue of equality and non-discrimination should be among the key points. At the Much More than Gender conference, one of the panels focused on gender politics in the media. The panel was moderated by Liza Kuzmenko, Head of the Women in Media NGO and a member of the Commission on Journalistic Ethics. We wrote down important points.
Opening the second day of the International Conference on Media Literacy and Media Self-Regulation, Andrii Kulykov, Head of the Commission on Journalistic Ethics, emphasized that gender issues are among the fundamental topics. Hence, the discussion of gender policy is pertinent at an event focused on media self-regulation. After all, the dynamics of society depend on how materials are presented, which topics are covered, and how interaction with the audience occurs.
The Government Commissioner for Gender Policy, Kateryna Levchenko, expressed gratitude for the inclusion of gender issues in the discussions during the conference on media literacy and media self-regulation.
“As the Government Commissioner for Gender Equality Policy, participating in this panel is a clear confirmation for me that politics in Ukraine today is not solely focused on social issues, as it was before. Gender mainstreaming is the primary principle guiding the implementation of state policy to ensure equal rights and opportunities for women and men. Without ensuring equal rights and opportunities, we cannot fully realize a democratic system, uphold the rule of law, establish an effective economic system, implement fair governance, ensure justice, and achieve development. Gender equality is a prerequisite for the effective recovery and systemic development of Ukraine. This is not merely a beautiful saying or empty words; it’s a reality that needs to be implemented to propel us forward,” said Levchenko.
The participants and panel members agreed that gender equality is about being people-centered and providing opportunities for everyone to be realized, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, or nationality.
“We want every person in Ukraine to have the opportunity to realize their full potential. This contributes to enriching society with added value. We understand that if certain segments of society find it challenging to achieve self-realization, they will experience oppression and unfulfillment. As a result, our society will suffer losses; we will miss out on that added value,” says Mykola Typusiak, Marketing Director of Espresso TV.
“In its brief six-year existence, Vilne Radio’s experience has demonstrated that prioritizing the individual yields positive and effective outcomes. Gender equality is about ensuring people’s rights and creating comfortable conditions for work and life, which we, as media management, strive to provide,” says Anastasiia Shybiko, co-founder and director of Vilne Radio.
“Gender equality transcends mere women’s rights or increasing female participation in specific processes. It stands as a fundamental principle underpinning our European integration movement and our approach to the European Union. I hope that these issues receive objective, unbiased, and contemporary coverage in the mass media,” stated Government Commissioner Kateryna Levchenko.
“Gender equality is a priority for UNESCO. This is what we believe in and what we expect from our partners,” stated Theresa Chorbacher, project manager of the UNESCO Office in Ukraine.
In their work, the media is guided not only by the standards of journalism, but also by the editorial charter, along with a number of policies and norms.
Maria Frey, a Board member of Suspilne, shared insights into how gender policy works at Suspilne. According to Maria, the gender policy was created in cooperation with invited experts. It concerns both team work and content creation.
“This is indeed a very good document. However, if you implement it without monitoring its effectiveness, or if you lack someone to evaluate the policy’s impact, then it becomes just another good idea sitting on the shelf,” noted Frey.
It takes time to implement new rules. Maria mentions that it took them six months just to get their colleagues accustomed to calculating expert representation in terms of gender and achieving the 50/50 ratio, as they had to input data into the table. However, thanks to this initiative, 80% of the content is now registered.
Anastasiia Shybiko, co-founder and director of Vilne Radio spoke about the importance of policies in editorial offices when new people join the team.
“When we started to grow and hire different people, we saw very different opinions and attitudes towards certain things. What is obvious to us may not be so to others. We have begun to develop a comprehensive policy that governs the activities of our team, encompassing everything from how we communicate on work and non-work topics to our general work practices. And the second policy applies directly to the content.”
Anastasiia Shybiko emphasizes the importance of respecting personnel and ensuring the preservation of their lives and health, especially in war conditions.
“If our journalists in Odesa have to spend three days in the basement due to constant shelling, then we tell them: “Take a day off, sleep, rest. Everything else can wait.” Yes, we have KPIs, reports to donors, and certain obligations, but we must prioritize taking care of people above all else. And believe me, when you prioritize their well-being, they won’t overwhelm you with demands. They will work more efficiently. You will feel it right away when their demands are excessive,” says Anastasiia.
The chair of Vilne Radio also mentions that they have a tradition in the team of protecting male and female employees from rude behavior and aggression.
“There were instances when I called the directors of enterprises and informed them that it is inappropriate to speak to our female journalists in such a manner. If they were rude to me as well, we would publicly address the issue, and soon after, they would issue apologies. We discuss each case as a team and figure it out.”
Tools help to measure various indicators. For example, gender-sensitive indicators measure the extent to which the media complies with requirements regarding gender equality. Such indicators for media have been developed by UNESCO. Theresa Chorbacher, project manager of the UNESCO Office in Ukraine, spoke about their use.
“This is a set of indicators that assist in measuring the level of gender equality in publications. We focus not only on how content is presented but also on how employees within the organization address these issues. Gender balance among decision makers is important. We know that the majority of journalists are women, and the majority of decision-makers are men.”
Theresa Chorbacher also emphasized that indicators of gender equality include data on how women are treated in the workplace and whether they receive equal pay for equal work compared to men. They also investigate whether there is gender equality in trade unions, if they exist, whether there is a code of ethics with a dedicated section on gender equality, and whether gender aspects are taken into account during trainings, for example.
“We encourage media organizations to incorporate these gender indicators for their own use,” stated Theresa Chorbacher.
Moderator Liza Kuzmenko shared that the gender indicators were partially translated and adapted to Ukrainian realities. “We relied entirely on UNESCO’s experience. He was extremely helpful to us. The national indicators of gender equality in the media, based on the UNESCO indicators, were approved by Order 333 of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy dated June 16, 2023,” the moderator said.
About gender balance in the team
In 2023, the Women in Media NGO, together with the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine, conducted research and created a gender profile of Ukrainian media. 206 media were successfully analyzed, with a total of about 5,000 employees.
“We observed that there are many women in creative professions such as journalism, public relations, and presenting roles. If we speak in numbers, then 77% are women, and only 23% are men. However, there are almost equal numbers of women in media management, comprising 52%, while men make up 48%. Thus, we observe that many women hold positions that do not involve decision-making,” says Liza Kuzmenko.
In another study on the gender balance in the decision-making process conducted by Women in Media, involving 168 Ukrainian media outlets, it is reported that the burden on women increased with the onset of the war. Female managers in regional media are often compelled to undertake responsibilities across multiple positions. This happens both because of the mobilization of men and because of a lack of resources.
“We also inquired with newsrooms about the existence of equality policies. They confirmed having such policies, but when asked if they had an official responsible for implementing these policies, they responded negatively. A similar situation was with the question about training. When we asked if there had been any training related to gender equality, inclusiveness, or diversity in the last year, the answer was no. That’s why we still must work and engage with these issues,” Liza Kuzmenko said.
Maria Frey pointed out that at Suspilne, women are now excelling in professions traditionally considered male-dominated, such as engineers and videographers. However, there was another nuance. “Our salaries and fees are losing appeal among male counterparts. And it seems to me that if we maintain the current indicators in Ukraine, our company will soon comprise 80% women,” shared Maria Frey.
Government Commissioner for Gender Policy, Kateryna Levchenko, noted that the media can both assist in implementing significant changes and support gender policy but they can also hinder it to some extent.
“It depends on the perspectives of media managers and journalists, as well as whether the materials are based on certain gender stereotypes or other stereotypes, and whether discriminatory expressions are used.”
Kateryna Levchenko noted that, despite the many problems, the media sphere is progressing towards a greater understanding of the importance of gender equality. Research conducted, including by Women in Media, has highlighted the existing problems. Now, we need to explore ways to address them. “We aim for greater representation of women in the media space. The feminization of fields doesn’t imply feminization in the coverage of issues related to them. Even in fields like the social sphere, education, or health care, there are more men among experts. It is crucial that we portray women in non-stereotypical ways. In the context of a full-scale invasion, it’s important to avoid portraying women solely as permanent victims of war. We understand that the entire society is affected, and effective reflection of these issues is necessary for effective problem-solving.”
Theresa Chorbacher offers recommendations on what to consider when analyzing content: “When analyzing content, it’s important to observe whether there is equal representation of topics concerning both women and men. Is there a balance between men and women providing expert commentary? Are women portrayed honestly and fairly, without stereotyping? Do media organizations truly understand what gender-based violence is?” she explains.
Maria Frey emphasizes the importance of portraying men not only in stereotypical roles, but also as responsible fathers. “We need to create content that inspires men to aspire to the same. It’s important to showcase the value of a child having a supportive father who dedicates time to them.”
Liza Kuzmenko mentioned that in this year’s Honor of Profession competition, in the special category on gender equality initiated by Women in Media, one of the submissions is titled Not Helping Mom, but Responsible Dad. It was submitted by Gre4ka media from Kropyvnytskyi. This is a good example of highlighting the role of a man in the family.
“It’s important to showcase men who aren’t just helping their wives in the household, but are genuine partners and share equal responsibility,” the moderator noted.
Anastasiia Shybiko acknowledges that regarding the involvement of female experts in materials, sometimes it’s impossible to include more women simply because they are underrepresented or nonexistent in certain fields.
“We once faced criticism in a certain monitoring because we had fewer female experts. Upon investigation, we realized that our main speakers at that time were community leaders, and there were no women available to comment on the events.”
Mykola Typusiak believes that the smaller number of female experts in the media needs additional study. “Do we fail to showcase women due to discrimination, or because it’s challenging for them to find opportunities in our expert environment? If the latter, then the question arises: Why? How can we address this? Stereotypes are usually based on worldview issues. If we discover how the media can help overcome this, then there will be many women in politics and experts in various fields,” Typusiak believes.
To enhance the performance of newsrooms and prevent manifestations of sexism and gender discrimination, Women in Media developed methodological recommendations for the media.
Liza Kuzmenko identifies sexual harassment of female media representatives as one of the challenges to achieving gender equality.
“Harassment can occur not only in the editorial office but also while performing editorial tasks. The Istanbul Convention has been ratified in Ukraine. Currently, we have adopted in the first reading draft Law 8329, titled “On Amendments to the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses in Connection with the Ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention)”, which introduces administrative responsibility for sexual harassment. 167 amendments were submitted to this draft law, with 32 amendments coming from a member of the former banned pro-Russian political party, Opposition Platform for Life, People’s Deputy Hryhoriy Mamka,” says the head of Women in Media.
Such a number of amendments slows down the adoption of the law. Liza Kuzmenko emphasizes that even with good policies at the editorial level, it will not be sufficient if there is no administrative or criminal liability for sexual harassment.
The head of Women in Media also emphasized that the real challenge lies in gender disinformation targeting Ukrainian female journalists, spread by Russia.
“We did the research Underestimated Threat: Gendered Disinformation about Ukrainian Women Journalists. We understand that Russia’s goal is quite clear: to silence female journalists and undermine the role of women in Ukrainian society.”
Ukrainian journalists are threatened with the publication of intimate photos, while Russia spreads narratives alleging that Ukrainian female journalists can only advance their careers through relationships with men, and that all war correspondents are agents of the SSU, feminists, prostitutes, lesbians, and escort girls.
Furthermore, UNESCO conducted a study on the experiences of female journalists facing cyber violence.
“UNESCO is conducting one of the largest studies on online violence against women, and the data we are gathering is overwhelmingly significant. The study began in 2020 and covers not only Ukraine but also other countries. It found that 73% of respondents experienced online violence, and 20% suffered from physical violence. Women who write about gender issues are often attacked and ridiculed because of their gender identity. Gender stereotypes work against both women and men. Gender equality entails combating stereotypes, homophobia, and sexism,” said Theresa Chorbacher.
Mykola Typusiak views the objectification of individuals and the silence surrounding harassment as significant challenges.
“Nowadays, perhaps, we observe fewer advertisements of that nature. Even before the full-scale invasion, there were numerous advertisements that objectified women’s bodies, highlighting a broader issue with societal worldviews. The fact that women are afraid to speak out is clearly influenced by public opinion. Because if she speaks out about harassment, she might be told: “You’re overreacting, he’s just paying attention, not harassing.” This must be changed. However, addressing these issues cannot be achieved solely through straightforward statements. It’s a long way. We do not know what path must be taken to change the worldview. This is one of the challenges and opportunities. Perhaps we need to gather scientists, sociologists, and the media so that everyone understands their role.”
Maria Frey considers the growth of aggressiveness and closed communities to be challenges.
“I believe that one of our major challenges is the escalating aggressiveness of society. Aggressive behavior increases due to tension and stress. To avoid such aggression, closed communities and information bubbles are being created. That is another challenge. My seven-year-old Ukrainian-speaking child calmly expresses her desire to become an inventress. She knows nothing about feminitives, but she understands the standard rules of the Ukrainian language. But when I step outside the bubble, I immediately get a whole palette of other experiences. Feeling emotionally exhausted, we often find solace in connecting only with those who share similar experiences. However, this tendency may limit our opportunities to create new connections, and I fear that we may lose the space to spread our good ideas and quality content.”
The use of feminine forms is recommended by the current spelling guidelines. And yet, from time to time, scandals arise, because one of the heroines or experts asks to be called “traditionally”, or as it is written in the job description. In the beginning, even the Government Commissioner for Gender Policy was referred to without a feminine spelling in Ukrainian. The panel participants unanimously agree that using femininatives is essential, even in the face of anticipated criticism.
“When we first started using femininatives, we received a lot of criticism, especially from our very loyal audience,” says Anastasiia Shybiko. “However, within a month or two, the audience became accustomed to it. They understood that there will be no other way.”
Natalia Pakhaichuk, Head of Innovative Projects at CID MEDIA GROUP and a participant of the conference, suggested that representatives of the National Council should sign as representatives, with feminine spelling in Ukrainian. “It seems rather ironic when a woman, who is consistently referred to as a “representative” (without feminine ending), writes conclusions about the gender monitoring of a particular channel.”
Government Commissioner for Gender Policy Kateryna Levchenko also wished that the media would use more feminitives.
“It is crucial to cultivate a gender-sensitive language. Recently, the Council of Europe issued a special guide on gender-sensitive language, which helps to visualize gender policy more effectively. We will translate it into Ukrainian so that we can utilize another practical resource,” said Kateryna Levchenko.
Despite the problems and challenges confronting the media in the pursuit of gender equality, it is important to consider the potential prospects: how the media can influence the situation.
Mykola Typusiak asserts that the media bears responsibility to society for shaping worldviews, culture, and the direction of societal progress. “The media should be what Ukraine should be tomorrow,” said Mykola Typusiak.
Maria Frey believes it is essential to focus not only on highlighting problems but also on identifying what we want to change and what actions the government should take. “If a woman sells a child, and a man is unaware of his fatherhood, then this is an issue of awareness. The lack of healthcare support for women during postpartum depression is another concern. The media should draw attention to these matters.”
Anastasiia Shybiko emphasizes that we shouldn’t expect immediate results and become discouraged if societal progress isn’t as rapid as we’d hoped. “We simply need to consistently perform our tasks diligently over time, without rushing, and without expecting too much. We shouldn’t anticipate immediate remarkable results from ourselves,” she concluded.
The co-organizers of the international conference were: the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine, the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine, International Media Support, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Ukraine, UNESCO in Ukraine and the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine.
Furthermore, we would like to remind you that in February 2024 there was created the Coalition “Gender Equality in Ukrainian Media,” initiated by Women in Media NGO with support from International Media Support (IMS) and the New Democracy Fund. The purpose of this association of media, NGOs, and the state is to foster dialogue and coordination in promoting gender equality and inclusivity in Ukrainian media, particularly during the restoration and reconstruction of Ukraine. The aim is to strengthen gender mainstreaming as a principle of good governance.
In addition to “Women in Media,” the Coalition also includes the Ukrainian Women Lawyers Association “JurFem,” ZMINA Human Rights Centre, Regional Press Development Institute (Povaha. Campaign against expressions of sexism in Ukrainian media and politics), Center for Democratic Reforms and Media, Hromadske Radio, Rubryka, Skhidnyi Variant, Detector Media, Nakypilo Media Group, Divoche Media, Ukrinform, Suspilne Movlennia, and Ukraiinska Pravda NGO.
This material was made possible by the New Democracy Fund (NDF) and International Media Support (IMS) as part of the project “Breaking Down Barriers: Bringing together public organizations, media, and state bodies to achieve gender equality in the media space of Ukraine,” implemented by the NGO “Women in Media.” Any views expressed here belong to the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of NDF or IMS.