Full Text: Press Release
Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the world’s largest organisation of journalists, has launched a global call asking journalists’ unions and media worldwide to take concrete action towards achieving gender equality in the media. The campaign, ‘Gender-Equal Media for a Gender-Equal Future’, marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark commitment to advancing women’s rights.
The Federation deplores the growing hostility to gender equality and women’s rights, with far-right movements threatening decades of progress. The organisation urges media professionals, trade unions, and governments to reinforce their commitment to the Beijing Declaration’s goals, including those related to the media.
The Beijing Platform for Action identified media as a key sector in achieving gender equality, outlining two critical objectives:
- Increasing women’s participation in decision-making roles and access to expression.
- Fighting gender stereotypes in the news.
For decades, the IFJ has led initiatives to support these goals, including research, training, and advocacy campaigns to tackle violence against women journalists, empower women in unions, and eliminate gender bias in media representation. However, the Federation points out that progress remains slow, and growing political opposition to gender rights across the world threatens to undo hard-won gains.
“The role of journalists in upholding truth and equality has never been more urgent,” said Maria Angeles Samperio, the chair of the IFJ Gender Council]. “We cannot allow regressive policies and political pressure to silence women’s voices in the media or undermine their right to equal representation. Unions must put gender equality at the top of their agenda and ensure that their structures, policies and relationships with media include a strong gender-equality component.”
In March 2025, the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will review global progress on the Beijing commitments and adopt a Political Declaration that will shape policies on gender equality. The IFJ urges journalists’ unions to engage with their governments now, to ensure that gender equality in the media remains a key priority and to endorse IFJ demands, namely:
- Defend the right to freedom of expression for women and marginalised groups.
- Support fair and unbiased representation of all genders in the media
- Push for equal access to leadership positions in the media industry
- Advocate for stronger laws protecting gender equality and tackling gender-based violence
- Expose and condemn misogyny and gender discrimination in all their forms
The IFJ has put together a series of actions to support its call. They are accessible here.
IFJ President Dominique Pradalié said: “Our call is not another campaign on gender equality. It is a wake-up call for unions and media to fight for equal representation now. Humanity cannot afford to go backward in terms of gender equality. Nor should we tolerate challenges to women’s freedom of expression and their representation in the media. This is an issue for all unions and all media. More than ever, we need inclusive media and strong ethical reporting.”