Issues

Gender Issues

Gender equality in journalism and trade unionism is a central concern of the International Federation of Journalists.

A conference on gender equality attended by women from the IFJ member unions in the five continents was held in Seoul, Korea, in 2001, on the day preceding the XXIV World Congress of the IFJ.

The conference based its works on the results of the survey that the IFJ Secretariat had carried out among its membership, titled "Equality for Quality: Setting Standards for Women in Journalism".

The picture drawn by the 2001 survey showed that much still needs to be accomplished for women to achieve equality in journalism. The Seoul Congress adopted a policy on Mainstreaming Equality in Journalism through the IFJ regional structures and project programme.

A Plan of Action of 7 points was adopted. It addresses:

Women in journalism
Women in the union
Equal pay for work of equal value
Portrayal of women in the media
IFJ women network
Women in the IFJ
Access to training

The implementation of the Plan of Action is undertaken by the Gender Council, which is composed of a decentralized structure of regional coordinators on gender issues and of a Gender Council Steering Committee.

The IFJ project division ensures that gender issues are addressed and included in IFJ programmes worldwide.

NEW! Getting the balance right in croatian

NEW! Gender study in journalists' unions and media in Central Africa (FR)

NEW! Women Journalists partners in trade union leadership- Gender fact sheets (Middle east and Arab World)

Documents IFJ conference on Ethics and Gender

Brussels Declaration 2009

Programme IFJ conference on Gender and Ethics, 30-31st May 2009

IFJ Gender Booklet: Getting the Balance Right (PDF) /Espanol/Français

IFJ Guidelines on reporting on violence against women

IFJ Gender Council

Campaign: Women Partners in Trade Union Leadership

Gender Equality in India

EFJ Survey: Women Journalists in the European Integration Process (2006)