Following a resolution in favour of a new expert group focusing on gender and diversity issues, adopted at the EFJ General Assembly 2022 in Izmir (Turkey), the Gender and Diversity Expert Group (GENDEG) was created to address inequalities in the profession both within media organisations and in media content.
In view of the specific problems faced by women journalists and journalists from diverse social, and ethnic background, physical or mental disabilities as well as diverse sexual identity or orientation – such as rampant sexism in newsrooms, violence at work, online harassment, pay inequalities, and the harmful stereotyping still prevalent in the media – this expert group aims to:
- Fight against all forms of discrimination by addressing the intersectional dimensions of diversity in the workplace;
- Raise awareness on gender/diversity specific issues journalists are facing;
- Put on the agenda equality and diversity both in newsrooms and in media content;
- Ensure the safety of journalists off and online, specifically fighting sexist attacks and everyday sexism at workplaces, as well as online harassment against women journalists;
- Negotiate collectively to address discrimination in newsrooms such as the gender pay gap, bad working conditions, glass ceiling, difficulties in work-life balance, etc… ;
- Equip journalists with resources to end gender bias and to correctly inform on diversity.