Gender, Media & ICTs: New Approaches for Research, Education & Training

"Understanding the causes, realities and consequences of gender unequal relations across the media sector, and addressing resulting unequal communication opportunities and practices, remains a challenge, and an objective that, given the centrality of media and communication in today's world, needs to be kept high on the agenda in view of fostering just, diverse, and equitable societies."

This teaching resource has been produced to help journalism educators cultivate gender awareness in the training of journalists, media professionals, and communicators. In particular, it links educational, professional, and policy fields in order to improve gender equality in and through the media.

As stated in the handbook, "...it is critical that media, journalism and ICT [information and communication technology] students receive training on the issues that surround gender inequalities in media industries, in the journalistic workspace, and in digital environments; training that allows young professionals to develop a gender-aware understanding of the content produced by the media, the working environment in which they operate, the different opportunities and challenges for women and men to participation and access, including to decision-making positions."

Produced by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s University Twinning and Networking Programme (Unitwin) on Gender Media and ICTs, this publication forms part of UNESCO's Series on Journalism Education, which seeks to support journalism education across the globe (see Related Summaries below for more publications in this series). Although the focus on journalism education, the publication also "speaks to a broad audience of teachers and higher education institutions across journalism, media and communication domains."

The model curriculum in this handbook has been developed by experts who work in journalism education and is designed to be used as an entire course, or can be used in bespoke ways to suit the media landscape and the needs of journalism students at the local level.

A set of 7 main themes were identified on the basis of a mapping of existing courses, expert knowledge, and transdisciplinary discussions. Each of these themes can be addressed in different ways, in general terms, or focusing on specific aspects. Hence, each thematic section suggests a set of (possible) subthemes. In addition, depending on the disciplinary area within which the course is offered, on the educational goals of the specific degree/programme, and on educators' preferences or previous experiences, the curriculum offers a variety of different approaches to addressing gender, media, and ICT issues such as feminism, political economy, historical, human rights, or a case study approach.

The themes and their goals are as follows:

1. Representation, language, and discourse - This theme seeks to analyse the representations of gender that circulate in the media and in ICT in order to denaturalise stereotypes and discriminatory forms against women, against gender/generic diversities, and against non-hegemonic forms of masculinity.
2. Access to decision-making/decision-making power - This module seeks to identify the structural conditions limiting the access and participation of women in decision-making positions in both the media and ICT industries.
3. Gender in media and ICT structure - This module seeks to contextualise the analysis of media and ICT organisational structures through a developed understanding of the concept of gender. The theme is also designed to promote "gender sensitivity", which enables recognition of where and how difference occurs.
4. Audience, reception, and uses of media and ICTs - This module seeks to create knowledge and understanding as to how the analysis of the audience with a gender perspective helps us to think about the relationships established between the media and ICTs and their audiences/users in a complex manner, thus promoting the recognition of gender indicators and perspectives in the investigation and analysis of audiences and their consumption.
5. Violence Against Women (VAW) in and through the media and ICTs - This module seeks to analyse theoretical, methodological, and paedagogical approaches through the prism of VAW in and through the media and ICTs.
6. Gender mainstreaming in media and ICT policies - By the end of this course, learners are expected to have a comprehensive understanding of the what, why, and how of policy formulation, adoption, and implementation to promote gender equality in and through the media and ICTs. They should be able to critically evaluate policy measures and to move into the profession with a proper understanding of normative frameworks and of the challenges to their implementation.
7. Advocacy and activism - This module seeks to analyse the ways women and sexual minorities have used advocacy and activism to seek greater access to and diversity within and through ICTs and other media through the prism of theoretical, methodological, and paedagogical approaches.

A list of selected references completes each unit, offering readings around gender, media, and ICTs. Each section also contains boxes indicating further resources, such as digital platforms, archives, multimedia materials or toolkits, as well as relevant good practices from across the world.