On 27 November 2024, CGDS co-director Dr. Choman Hardi facilitated a gender and media training session for media directors and editors-in-chief. The training was organized by the Democracy and Human Rights Development Centre (DHRD) and Jasana Organisation, with a focus on empowering female journalists and promoting women’s participation in decision-making roles to create a healthier media environment.
Dr. Hardi began the session by introducing key concepts such as gender, social construction, sexism, sexual harassment, and consent. She then moved on to an analysis of women’s representation in the media, with a particular focus on Kurdish media. The themes she addressed included the use of sexist language, the beauty myth, the choice myth, the sexual objectification of women, gender stereotyping, and the portrayal of women as victims of social and political violence.
The workshop concluded with an engaging discussion and brainstorming session aimed at developing a comprehensive media policy. Participants were divided into three groups, each tasked with addressing one of the key areas crucial for fostering gender equality in the media. The first group focused on developing human resource management practices that would create an environment conducive to hiring, retaining, and promoting women within media organizations. The second group explored strategies for establishing robust mechanisms for sexual harassment protection and investigation, ensuring that women in the media workplace are supported and safe. The third group worked on proposals for ensuring fair and equitable representation of women in media content, emphasizing the importance of accurate, diverse portrayals that break down gender stereotypes and highlight women’s agency. Each group presented their ideas, and the collaborative effort resulted in a set of actionable recommendations for media institutions to develop and adopt.
Representatives from a range of media agencies were in attendance, including KurdSat, Aryen TV, Sterk TV, Payam Channel, the Communist Party of Kurdistan’s Media, Westga News, KNN TV, Dang Radio, Dangi Nwe Radio, the Ministry of Culture, Kobas, Chatr Media Company, Zoom Media, BMC, Kurdistan 24, and Rewan.