The NGO Women in Media has developed recommendations for conducting gender audits in media — a practical tool that will help newsrooms systematically assess their internal processes and approaches to content production.
The document was developed with the support of International Media Support (IMS) within the project “United for Equality in Media: Advancing Gender Equality through Collaboration among CSOs, Media, and Authorities,” in cooperation with the Government Commissioner for Gender Policy.
What the recommendations offer
The recommendations are designed for media of all sizes — national, regional, and local — regardless of ownership or platform type. They provide a unified approach to conducting a gender audit, based on Ukrainian legislation and international standards.
“A gender audit is not a formal inspection or a control mechanism. It is an opportunity for a newsroom to look at itself from within: how roles and responsibilities are distributed, whether there are equal opportunities for professional growth, whether equal pay for work of equal value is ensured, and whether safe working conditions are in place — free from discrimination, sexual harassment, mobbing, and other forms of gender-based violence,” — notes Kateryna Levchenko, Government Commissioner for Gender Policy in her foreword.
The recommendations also emphasize that media are not only workplaces where principles of equality and safety should be upheld, but also actors that shape public perceptions of the roles of women and men.
A gender audit makes it possible to:
- identify inequalities and risks of discrimination within newsrooms;
- assess HR policies, working conditions, and organisational culture;
- analyse how principles of equality are reflected in content;
- develop a concrete action plan to strengthen professional standards and audience trust.
The document also provides practical guidance on organising the process — from establishing a working group and collecting data to preparing the report and an action plan.
“A gender audit is not about formality — it is about real change in newsrooms. We already see that after an audit, media organisations begin to revise their internal policies, approaches to content, and become more resilient and professional. For example, Suspilne has started building a database of women experts from different fields, which its editorial teams will use for broadcasts, commentary, programmes, and discussions. In the future, other media outlets will also be able to use this database when looking for expert voices for their materials. This initiative aims to ensure that more women’s voices are heard in the media and that their professional expertise becomes visible in the public space,” — said Liza Kuzmenko, Head of the NGO Women in Media.
Experience and further cooperation
Women in Media NGO has practical experience in conducting gender audits. In particular, in 2025 the organisation carried out a Gender Audit of the public broadcaster Suspilne.
The organisation encourages media outlets to use these recommendations and is open to cooperation with those willing to implement gender-sensitive approaches in their work.