Enhancing gender equality and coverage of gender-based violence in Palestinian media outlets

UNESCO and UN Women have joined forces in Palestine to help enhance the media's approach to gender equality, including how media outlets and journalists frame the sensitive issue of gender-based violence.

Researchers utilised UNESCO's Media Development Indicators and UN Women's Media Monitoring Toolkit on Gender Sensitive Media to analyse five media organisations in Palestine from a gender perspective and developed recommendations for media outlets to enhance their approach to gender equality and sensitivity, including when covering gender-based violence (GBV). A key recommendation was the development of a Code of Conduct for media outlets and personnel to guide them in this endeavour.

As part of the joint 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence campaign 2022, a ceremony took place in Ramallah to present the findings of the research funded by Sweden and its recommendations. Following this, journalists and media representatives signed a Code of Conduct, committing to working to improve their treatment and coverage of gender-related issues in Palestine - one such issue being violence against women and girls (VAWG).

Research findings

The research found that gendered issues, including gender-based violence, were frequently marginalised in the media. High-profile cases of violence against women and girls, such as femicides, tended to get coverage which quickly petered out.

The study highlights how the media tends to prefer the presence of men in content on politics, economics, law, rights, the justice system, business, and sports. Women are present in stereotypical issues such as women's affairs, the family, home, kitchen and some social issues and entertainment programmes, despite women being very much present and active in other areas.

On a more positive note, the findings also indicate an increase in the number of women working in media institutions. Female media professionals have also entered new professions and positions in media positions previously dominated by men. However, further progress is needed in the areas of gender roles, participation in decision-making, developing media policy and influencing media content in pursuit of equality between the sexes, and ending gender-based violence

Launch ceremony

The event was opened by the Consul General of Sweden, Mr. Julius Liljestrom, UN Women Special Representative, Maryse Guimond, and UNESCO's Head of Office and Representative, Noha Bawazir, with the presence of representatives from different sectors including academia, media, and civil society.

Speaking at the ceremony, UN Women Special Representative Maryse Guimond said: "The Media are regarded as a key 'entry point' for preventing violence against women and girls in the long-term because of their unique reach to broad sections of the population, as well as their ability to influence and shape ideas and perceptions about what is considered socially acceptable."

She added: "The most significant challenge remains the persistence of attitudes, beliefs, practices and behaviours in society that perpetuate negative stereotypes, discrimination and gender inequality, as root causes of violence against women and girls".

UNESCO Head of Office and Representative, Noha Bawazir, said: "Many women journalists themselves know all too well the impact that GBV has, as they are often subjected to it in the course of their work, including harassment both on and offline - as highlighted in UNESCO and the International Center for Journalists' global report: 'The Chilling: Global trends in online violence against women journalists.'"

She continued: "The findings and recommendations from the research in Palestine will inform our future interventions in this area. In addition, the Code of Conduct will undoubtedly be a useful framework for media organisations and journalists to adhere to best practices when it comes to gender equality."

Mr. Julius Liljestrom, Consul General of Sweden, added: "It is a well-known fact that inequality, marginalization and gender-based violence make a society weaker, more divided and more vulnerable to outside pressures. By avoiding gender stereotyping, media organizations can contribute to establish more gender equal values and attitudes in society. We believe that using tools such as the Code of Conduct is absolutely the right approach."

Violence against women and girls in Palestine

Violence against women and girls remains an issue in Palestine, as it is everywhere. According to a survey conducted by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics in 2019, 59.3% of ever married women and girls between the ages of 15-64 had been subjected to violence at the hands of their husbands. The most common form of violence was psychological violence, with the highest rates across all age groups amongst the 20-24-year-old respondents.

Each year the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence campaign is an opportunity for partners worldwide to unite against all forms of GBV, particularly against women and girls. UNESCO is a proud partner in the 2022 campaign in Palestine, coordinated by UN Women under the theme of protection which states: "Protection is a Path, Not a Slogan."

The study is currently being finalised and is due to be published in the coming months.