Gender Equality in B&H -
Informed Public Opininon and Gender Sensitive Media

Why We Chose to Focus on the Issue of Gender Equality in Media of B&H?
 

Researches on gender equality in media of BiH implemented by United Women Banja Luka in partnership with women’s NGOs and female journalists and editors during the period 2005/2006 through the first phase of the project "Gender Equality in BiH - Informed Public Opinion and Gender Sensitive Media" revealed that women are fairly represented as journalists, reporters, editors and program directors in practically all major TV and radio broadcasting services. However, it also became visible that overwhelming majority of both women and men media workers lack of basic sensitivity for gender issues and lack personal initiative for conducting journalist' researches about women's issues, such are for example, violence against women, trafficking of women, lack of women's health protection, under representation of women in public and political life etc. Research results also pointed at the problem that majority of both public and private media in Bosnia and Herzegovina do not have editorial policies in terms of preparing and broadcasting programs related to the women's issues and gender equality. This especially relates to work of local media, which are important, and very often the only source of information and news for population in smaller local communities.

Since 2004, United Women Banja Luka developed strong program on gender equality in media, thanks to very fruitful cooperation with Amica e.V. from Freiburg, and support of EED Germany.

What We Have Accomplished So Far?

- Increased knowledge of women and men citizens of BiH about gender equality issues and existence of Gender Equality Law in BiH through media programs;

- Increased gender sensibility of programs and policies of Radio Television of Republika Srpska (RTRS) as one of three BiH public broadcasting services in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

- Established network of women journalists and NGO activists aimed to strengthen public advocacy for increased gender sensibility of media;

- Acquired qualitative and quantitative data about current state of gender equality in media and its specific challenges, and their usage for public advocacy actions at state and local levels in BiH;

- Initiated work on regional and global networking on monitoring gender equality in media through participation in Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) in 2005, and usage of monitoring results to advocate for greater participation and influence of women in media and enhanced media focus on gender equality issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

- During 2007, United Women Banja Luka organized numerous public advocacy activities independently and in close collaboration with women's NGOs through Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ten local public advocacy campaigns with focus on position of women in local economy, protection of labor rights of women, and improving women's health, reproductive health, position and portrayal of women in electronic and printed media, sexually communicable diseases, gender based violence and violence against children, position of women in rural communities, and domestic violence were successfully organized in Gradiška – in cooperation with NGO “Woman and Family”, Modriča – in cooperation with NGO “Future”, Bihać – in cooperation with NGO “Women from Una”, Trebinje – in cooperation with NGO “Women’s Center”, Višegrad – in cooperation with “Most”, Tuzla – in cooperation with NGO “Vesta” and Referent Group, Mostar – in cooperation with NGO “Forma F”, Bijeljina – in cooperation with NGO “Lara”, Sarajevo – in cooperation with NGO Foundation “Cure” and Media Center, and Zenica – in cooperation with NGO “Medica”;

- Posters titled "Do We Pay Attention?" aimed for promotion of usage of gender sensitive language in media and public life of BiH were distributed as a part of local public advocacy activities in ten local communities of both entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina - at streets, media, bus stations, schools, public institutions, and medical centers and contributed to increasing visibility and knowledge about Gender Equality Law in BiH, namely Article 2 of the Law that promotes equality of women and men in all fields of society, and especially in the field of education, economy, employment and labor, social and health protection, culture, and public life and media, regardless marital and family status, sex, or sexual orientation.

What is Our Long Term Goal?

Creating possibilities for diminishing gender based discrimination in all fields of social, economic and political life of Bosnia and Herzegovina through increasing gender sensibility of media in Bosnia and Herzegovina, strengthening an informed public opinion about gender discrimination, and advocacy for improving position of women in our environment.

Specific Objectives for the Period 2008 - 2010:

- Increasing sensibility of journalists, editors and other media workers in Bosnia and Herzegovina toward women's issues, women's human rights and gender equality through interactive workshops on gender equality in media;

- Empowering women and men journalists, editors and other media workers to take an active role in changing gender stereotypes and developing gender sensitivity of media through increasing their skills, networking and capacity building, participation in Global Media Monitoring Project Initiative (GMMP) in 2010, and active contribution in developing women's programs and public advocacy campaigns;

- Supporting and strengthening networks of women in politics and journalists of both electronic and printed media to promote gender equality issues and challenge gender stereotypes in public and political life of Bosnia and Herzegovina;

- Raising awareness of women and men citizens of BiH, public officials and representatives of political parties about importance of gender equality and diminishing gender based discrimination in public and private life in BiH;

- Strengthening cooperation of local civil society organizations that are working on gender equality issues in BiH and our common voice and actions toward requesting greater accountability of official institutions for implementation of Gender Equality Law and Gender Action Plan of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Planned Key Activities for the period 2008 – 2010:

A. Capacity Building Activities - Support Media Monitoring in BiH and Preparation of Country Report for Bosnia and Herzegovina as a Part of Global Media Monitoring Project in 2010

B. Supporting Media Visibility of Women in Politics Media of Bosnia and Herzegovina

C. Increasing Awareness and Public Debate on Gender Equality Issues in Public and Private life of Bosnia and Herzegovina