The media plays a crucial role in reflecting the diversity of society. Media shapes our understanding of the world, how we think and act. Equal opportunities for men and women to participate in the media are essential for a democratic public sphere. Media can both promote and hinder gender equality as inequalities in the society are reproduced in the media.

Despite the increasing political pressure to ensure equal participation of both men and women in the media, the Global Media Monitoring Project 2015 shows that the progress has been slow and has now virtually halted. Women are still underrepresented in the news media, both as news subjects as well as sources of information and opinion. Women’s relative invisibility in the traditional news media has also replicated in digital media. Further, gender stereotypes and sexism have proven to be persistent. In this panel experts draw on global and Nordic experiences discussing the ways in which men and women are (in)visible, (un)voiced and portrayed in the media and address the gender equality dimension of freedom of expression.

Speakers:
• Aimée Vega Montiel, Vice President, International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMC) and Head of Latin American Chapter, UNESCO ‘Global Alliance on Media and Gender’ initiative (GAMAG)
• Sarah Macharia, Programme Manager, Global Media Monitoring Project, WACC
• Nordic Coordinators of Global Media Monitoring Project 2015: Hanne Jørndrup (Roskilde University), Maria Edström (University of Gothenburg), Elisabeth Eide (HiOA Oslo), Jonita Siivonen (University of Helsinki) and Valgerður Anna Jóhannsdóttir (University of Iceland)
• Anu Koivunen, Professor, University of Stockholm
• Christian Jensen, Editor, Dagbladet Information
• Olga Stern, Founder, Genews - a Swedish tool for newsrooms that measures and visualizes the gender representation in digital newspapers
• Johanna Vehkoo, Journalist and Founder of Long Play, digital publication of long-form journalism
Moderator: Johanna Korhonen, Journalist

Register by Friday the 27th of April, 2016 at https://www.webropolsurveys.com/S/4471F84667525804.par

Further information:
• Event information: http://stm.fi/tapahtumat/2016-05-02/freedom-of-speech-and-gender-equality-time-for-news-media-to-step-up-

• World Press Freedom Day 2016: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/events/prizes-and-celebrations/celebrations/international-days/world-press-freedom-day-2016/

Organizers: Nordic Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland

NOTE: If you will participate also in the World Press Freedom Day Conference, the 3-4th of May at the Finlandia Hall, please register at https://crm.unesco.org/local/?q=content/access-information-and-fundamental-freedoms-your-right-%E2%80%93-world-press-freedom-day-2016