The editorial office of the online media outlet LB.ua recently updated its policies and standards to incorporate a gender component.
As noted by Chief Editor Sonya Koshkina, implementing a clear gender policy is essential for high-quality journalism and a modern democratic society. Research shows that women and members of other social groups are often underrepresented, or their voices are less prominent in the information space.
According to Chief Editor Sonya Koshkina, considering gender balance and using non-discriminatory language helps avoid stereotypes and ensures more comprehensive and diverse coverage of events.
For LB.ua, this means adopting a conscious editorial practice: inviting experts, striving for gender parity in content (although maintaining this balance can be challenging), and avoiding sexism and hate speech. Sonya is convinced that this is not only about social responsibility but also about high-quality journalism that reflects the true picture of the world.
She noted that, in updating its gender policy, LB.ua drew on the Policy of Gender Equality in Media Content developed by Women in Media and the Commission on Journalistic Ethics with the support of the OSCE.
LB.ua is a leading Ukrainian online media outlet with 4 million monthly visitors and nearly 400,000 social media subscribers. It was founded in 2009. Since 2023, LB.ua has been one of the top online media outlets in Ukraine for compliance with professional journalistic standards, according to experts from the Institute of Mass Information.