Does the Online Space Allow Women in Media to Challenge Stereotyping and Misrepresentation
Date of Meeting: 21 March 2019
Meeting Organizer: Global Forum for Media Development
ISJC Staff Present: Captain Paula Mendes
Reporter: Captain Paula Mendes
Which SDG does this topic cover? 5
Type of meeting: CSW Parallel Event
Brief summary of presentation of information made
Panelists:
- Emma Heywood - Leader of “FemmePowermentAfrique” program, which assesses the impact of radio on women’s empowerment in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.
- Laura Zelenko –Bloomberg News
- Ilaria Tosello – The gender equality and social inclusion focal point in El Salvador for IREX.
- Snjezana Milivojevic – Professor of Public Opinion and Media Studies at the University of Belgrade
- Sonia Terrab – Moroccan filmmaker, journalist, and novelist
- Namees Arnous – Egyptian publisher
Highlights:
- Facebook is making feminism looks “cool”
- There is a need to think about women receiving messages (they need more information and quality information, they need to be seen as fighters, not victims) and women sending messages (more leaders and more professional)
- Its also necessary to engage men, so they will take responsibility too
- Radio is seen as a conventional media, is still widely used in areas where there are no other media platforms
- Social media does not have a professional selection, and this is a disadvantage
- Journalism is becoming feminist (more women working on it)
- The current generation trusts more online media than old school media
- Conventional media has high levels of quality but without feeling what is happening on the ground. Social media achieves that, because is more about trust and understanding.
- It’s important to hear people’s stories about certain subjects, but they are not enough – we also need expertise.
- Social media is allowing more participation, but also allowing more attacks.
- In social media, women are bolder to fight for gender equality than in their everyday life.
- Technology will not be the solution for our problems.
- We need open spaces for all, instead of safe spaces for a few.
What was of particular significance to share with The Salvation Army globally?
The two last comments are worthy to share: we need to make use of technology (and could do this more effectively) but never forgetting that true problems and solutions are bigger than this. Also, as an organization which has representations in big and small cities, villages, metropolis and rural areas, we need to think about open spaces for all – not just in social media, but also using conventional ways.
Web links for more information
https://gfmd.info/