Gender Equality

Policy briefs, working papers and primers on the gender equality within media development.

PRIMED: Gender learning brief (October, 2022)

Protecting Independent Media for Effective Development (PRIMED)

The full report is available here.

This learning brief aims to summarise key issues, evidence and trends on media and gender and help PRIMED partners identify opportunities to empower women as both media consumers and content producers as well as to amplify the voices of women in the media. It explores the links between improved gender equality in the workplace and the sustainability and viability of the media (a business case of gender equality). The brief also considers content formats which can promote gender equality in the public sphere and examines the role of self-regulation in ensuring that women are more fairly represented in media outputs.

Main takeaways

Key Challenges:

• Women are poorly represented in media content

• Media perpetuate stereotypes

• Women lack access to information : the digital gender divide

• Women are under-represented in the media sector

Solutions:

• "There should be enough women at the entry and middle levels of a company to select from and promote in order for there to be parity at the most senior, decision-making levels."

• The role of media in changing gender norms: "Media can share a wider variety of roles and behaviours pertaining to different sexes."

• Business and management models can change gender equality: "Increased gender diversity appears to have a positive effect on financial performance, talent retention, innovation, reputation, team performance and motivation."

• Successful strategies to increase gender equality in the workplace: "a better diversity climate and an inclusive leadership style can reduce turnover, increase employee satisfaction and engagements, and improve the performance of diverse teams."