UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

03/28/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 03/28/2024 04:12

Making women’s voices heard: UNESCO’s initiatives to promote gender equality in Cambodian media

On the occasion of the 2024 International Women's Day, UNESCO highlighted its continued efforts to promote gender equality and women's empowerment in and through media in Cambodia. The media holds a particular prerogative to shape public perceptions and understanding of gender norms, roles and stereotypes. It has the potential to affect societal structures, which influence how individuals behave and fulfill specific roles based on their perceived gender. It thus plays a crucial role in achieving gender equality. UNESCO works towards increasing women's visibility and participation in and through the media, combating gender stereotypes, enhancing gender-responsive media reporting on issues related to gender inequality, gender-based violence and women's rights, and promoting inclusivity and equity in the newsrooms, including the decision-making and leadership roles.

To this aim, UNESCO contributed to amplifying the voices of women working in the Cambodian media, by highlighting the testimonies of three spokespersons from Kiripost, a local digital media house that UNESCO has been collaborating with to equip young journalists with essential reporting skills and awareness of principles of gender equality and gender-responsive reporting standards. UNESCO featured on its social media platforms quotes from Assignment Editor Chhorn Raksmey, Journalist Yatt Malai, and Senior Editor Marissa Carruthers, who, from their unique perspectives as women in the field of journalism in Cambodia, spoke up about the importance of striving for an increase in women's contribution and participation in the sector, recognizing their right to have their stories heard and shape the society they live in. As Chhorn Raksmey asserted: "All women should strive to be strong and independent, and free to chase their aspirations. Give women the chance to demonstrate their capabilities, and don't solely categorize them as homemakers; we possess a myriad of talents. A country cannot progress without the participation of women."

Who Makes the Cambodian News study by UNESCO Cambodia.
©UNESCO

Furthermore, UNESCO supported the Ministry of Women's Affairs social media campaign in celebration of International Women's Day, under the theme of Women and Girls in Digital Transformation, which included the development of three videos featuring the Cambodian influencers DJ Nana, Chum Srey Pach, and Chea Sreynea. In these videos, they recounted their own experience with digital media as a space for women's self-expression and inclusive participation, where they could acquire and share knowledge, while being exposed to new ideas and opportunities. Through this initiative, which reached over 500,000 viewers across all social media platforms, Cambodian women and girls were encouraged to engage securely and effectively in the digital sector, harnessing its unique potential for female empowerment and representation.

Listen to their testimonies here:

In addition, UNESCO participated in the event "Advancing Gender Equality in the Workplace: Technology and Media", organized on the 1st of March by the European Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia, in collaboration with the United Nations in Cambodia and the Delegation of the European Union to Cambodia. UNESCO was invited to present the findings of its recent study Who Makes the Cambodian News? An assessment of Women's Presence and Portrayal in Cambodian News using UNESCO's Gender Sensitive Indicators for Media, at the presence of H.E. Dr. ING Kantha Phavi, Minister of the Ministry of Women's Affairs in Cambodia.

The study, which featured data gathered through the monitoring of over 4000 news pieces in the span of a month, unearths the concerning disproportion of women's representation in Cambodian media, denoting how only 5% of the news stories analysed were characterized by an exclusively women presence, in comparison with a 47% of stories with an entirely male content. In addition, women were found to be underrepresented in newsrooms, while also being less likely to be quoted as experts and spokespersons. UNESCO sensitized the audience on the gender gap in news content, as well as in decision-making roles in media outlets, advocating for increased women's presence and portrayal in the media field, which requires a multi-stakeholder collaboration.

Read more and download the report click here.