European Federation of Journalists

Gender equality and diversity in the European audiovisual sector

On February 2018, the EFJ took part to the kick off meeting of a 24-month project called Monitoring the implementation of the Framework of Action on gender equality and mapping initiatives to promote diversity in the European audiovisual sector. 

A framework of action was agreed by social partners in 2011, this project will focus on where are we now?

Partners include : UNI MEI, FIA, FIM, EFJ, ACT, EBU, AER, independent broadcasters

Overall objective

The aim of this project is to monitor how the Framework of Actions on Gender Equality in the Audiovisual sector (FoA) is currently implemented in the EU Audiovisual sector, and how it can be reviewed and possibly adapted to ensure its sustained relevance and impact. The FoA was approved and adopted by the EU Audiovisual Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee (AV SDC) back in 2011. In this document, European social partners put forward joint considerations and recommendations for actions of their affiliates to enhance gender equality in five key areas: gender portrayal, equality of pay, equality in decision making, gender roles in the work-place, and the reconciliation of work and private life.

During the project period, social partners will also explore sector initiatives fighting discrimination and promoting diversity related to 5 grounds (sexual orientation, age, disability, ethnicity and nationality, religious belief) and formulate recommendations for further engagement of social partners in this field.

Activities

  • Prepare a handbook on best practices in the AV mainly coming from our respective members
  • Organize 4 national meetings presenting some of the best practices and convening all social partners on the ground
  • Launch the handbook at a conference in Brussels at the end of the project.

This project receives the financial support of the European Union. All responsibilities regarding the contents and the actions belong to the authors only and should not be considered as reflecting the views of the European Union. 

Actions

Workshop 26/02 in Brussels – Advancing Gender Equal Media: Challenges, Strategies and DIY Culture

26 February 2019 | 14.30-17.30 | Press Club Brussels Europe The problem of women’s unequal access to and representation in mainstream media is not new and research studies focused on the European media industry over at least the past 30 years have demonstrated the challenges women face in developing a career in the media and being represented in ways which reflect their lived experience. Come and join us at the launch of the AGEMI (Advancing Gender Equality in Media Industries) project and web platform where you can find a range of useful resources focused on aspects of gender equality, including…

AGEMI summer school hits the mark with European students

Thirty students from universities of Newcastle, Gothenburg and Padova convened in Gothenburg university on 27-31 August for a one-week summer school programme on gender and media. This activity forms part of the “Advancing gender equality in the media industry” (AGEMI) project to which the EFJ is a partner. Students’ activities in Gothenburg included the development of mobile journalism stories, a series of roundtable and key notes speeches involving key media specialists and the launch of the internships programme which will allow each student to get a practical experience in an organization focusing on gender and media. “The feedbacks we received…

Migrants and ethnic minorities are underrepresented in media

A collaboration of a team of media scholars, Jakob-Moritz Eberla, Christine E. Meltzerb, Tobias Heidenreicha, Beatrice Herreroc, Nora Theorind, Fabienne Linda, Rosa Berganzac, Hajo G. Boomgaardena, Christian Schemerb, and Jesper Strömbäckd, resulted in a publication “European media discourse on migration and its effects: a literature review“, which sets to explore the landscape of media research covering the media discourse on immigration and its effects across Europe. The literature review addresses a general problem of under-representation and depicting migrants as delinquents or criminals. Although, media framing differs for specific migrant groups and used discourses, immigration coverage is often negative and conflict-centered, the publication shows. Repetitive exposure to negative messages on migrants leads to…

Steering Committee for the ETUC project “REBALANCE”

First meeting of the Steering Committee for the project “REBALANCE – Trade unions’ and social partners’ actions to improve reconciliation of work, family and private life for women and men”. Project Steering Members: – ETUC: Montserrat Mir, Cinzia Sechi, Mercedes Miletti, Kristian Bongelli – National members: Andreja Poje, ZSSS – Slovenia; Joa Bergold, LO – Sweden; Jessica van Ruitenburg, FNV – Netherlands; Christina Stockfish, DGB – Germany; Rosanna Ruscito, CISL – Italy; Pınar Özcan, HAK-IS – Turkey – European members: Ekaterina Efimenko, ETUCE; Myra Rednoss, IndustriALL; Amel Djemail, UNI; Inga-Lena Heinisch, ETF; Penny Clarke, EPSU; Kerstin Howald, EFFAT; Pamela Morinière,…

Gender inequalities in media content and production persist, new study says

The European Parliament has just published its latest study on ‘Gender Equality in the Media Sector’. The study, requested by the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality and undertaken by the Department of Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional affairs, examines representation and conditions in the media and key elements of European policy towards gender equality in the sector. It also presents case studies in Austria, Malta, Sweden, and the UK. Many women who were interviewed reported widespread discrimination and inequality of opportunities in pay, recruitment, allocation of work, and promotion. Working structures, norms and practices were also seen as advantaging…

EFJ meets MEP Rory Palmer on gender equality in the media

On 29 November 2017, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) met with UK Labour MEP Rory Palmer, shadow rapporteur for the European Parliament Employment and Social Affairs Committee’s Opinion on a Draft Report on gender equality in the media sector in the EU. Pamela Morinière presented the EFJ perspective on gender equality in the media and introduced the latest IFJ survey results on violence against women journalists.  Rory Palmer framed the discussion around 6 main issues including the representation of women in media structures, especially in leading positions; work-life balance; working conditions and equal pay; workplace harassment; and attacks against women journalists, notably…