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Doc. 9801
5 May 2003
The image of women in the media
Recommendation 1555 (2002)
Reply from the Committee of Ministers
adopted at the 838th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (30 April 2003)
1. The Committee of Ministers has examined with interest Recommendation 1555 (2002) of the Parliamentary Assembly on the image of women in the media. It commends the Assembly for questioning the image of women in the media which often conveys stereotypes contributing to a negative effect on the image of women. It has duly drawn it to the attention of member states' governments.
2. In response to this recommendation, the Committee of Ministers has sought the expert opinion of the Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men (CDEG) which is appended to this reply.
3. In its opinion, the CDEG draws attention to a number of initiatives addressing the responsibility of the media to promote equality between women and men and to refrain from portraying stereotypes based on gender, emphasising the importance of self-regulating bodies for controlling images in the media and the need to include gender equality programmes in journalists’ training. The Committee of Ministers further underlines, in the interest of freedom of expression, that the media and their self-regulating bodies should retain responsibility for elaborating professional standards or guidelines to avoid the risk of undue interference or censure of the media.
4. The Committee of Ministers would particularly mention its recent recommendations to member states on action against trafficking in human beings for the purpose of sexual exploitation (Rec(2000)11) and on the protection of women against violence (Rec(2002)5) which propose information awareness raising, education and training measures to mobilise public opinion and the media.
5. Furthermore, the Committee of Ministers has just adopted a recommendation to member states on balanced participation of women and men in political and public decision making calling on member states to support training and awareness raising for students of journalism and media professionals on gender equality and stereotyping, and to promote balanced participation in decision-making positions in the media. Moreover, in the resolution adopted at the 5th European Ministerial Conference on Equality between Women and Men, the European Ministers invited the media to “refrain from portraying stereotypes based on gender, ethnicity and religion” as well as “to promote peace by producing programmes which foster gender equality and non-discrimination, stimulate mutual understanding and oppose intolerance and racism”.
6. The Committee of Ministers believes that gender equality can only be achieved by women and men working together, based on solidarity between women and men to reach a more balanced and just society. If an observatory to study the way in which women are portrayed in the media were to be set up, the Committee of Ministers would encourage a gender balanced representation. However, at present, it is not convinced of the advisability of such an observatory.
Appendix
Opinion of the CDEG
on Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1555 (2002) on the image of women in the media
General remarks
The CDEG commends the Parliamentary Assembly for drawing attention to women's image in the media, which is too often negative, stereotyped and degrading in many Council of Europe member states.
The CDEG points out that back in 1994, in co-operation with the Steering Committee on the Mass Media (CDMM), it organised a seminar on “Human rights and gender: the responsibility of the media”. That seminar emphasised the importance of self-regulating bodies for controlling images in the mass media and the need to include gender equality programmes in journalists' training. In 1998, another joint seminar dealt more particularly with the media and trafficking in human beings for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The Group of Specialists on the impact of new information technologies on trafficking in human beings for the purpose of sexual exploitation has addressed the role of the media in presenting trafficking issues.
Lastly, it points out that Recommendations Rec(2000)11 and Rec(2002)5, on combating trafficking in human beings for the purpose of sexual exploitation and for the protection of women against violence, propose specific measures by which the member states can encourage the media to promote non-stereotyped images of women and men and to draw up codes of practice.
Specific comments
With regard to paragraphs 10 ix and xii, the CDEG draws attention to the draft Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the balanced participation of women and men in political and public decision-making, which is nearing completion. The measures whereby governments are invited to promote balanced participation by women and men at all levels of public and political decision-making include:
- training and the use of new information and communication technologies;
- balanced representation in decision-making positions in the media;
- training and awareness-raising on questions linked to gender equality for students of journalism and media professionals.
This recommendation also advocates regular analysis of the visibility and image of women and men in national news and current affairs programmes.