The Role of Youth in combating gender stereotypes in the audio-visual sector
Images of young women in the media are filled with stereotypes about who women are and what their roles in society should be. Gender stereotypes are preconceived ideas whereby men and women are arbitrarily assigned characteristics and roles by reason only of gender. These stereotypes can be negative, limiting and degrading, and they present a serious barrier to the achievement of real gender equality.
The 2017 UfM Ministerial Declaration on Strengthening the Role of Women in Society recognised combating gender stereotypes as one of its priorities.
Stereotypes are used to justify and maintain sexist attitudes which feed into gender discrimination and are holding back the advancement of women. They can limit the development of the natural talents and abilities of boys and girls, women and men, their educational and professional experiences as well as life opportunities in general.
The need to improve social and cultural patterns of conduct and to eliminate practices that are based on stereotyped ideas of inferiority or superiority of either genders require further commitment. Grassroots education and training on national levels would help immensely to address this issue and bring about the much-needed paradigm shift in the public opinion. Youth holds potential and has an important role to play in combatting gender stereotypes.
Discussion points:
- How can young journalists, researchers, influencers and women activists influence and modify gender stereotypes and general perceptions of roles and images of women in the media?
- How can the media be an effective platform to amplify women’s voices while identifying tangible actions and policies to combat gender stereotyping?
- How are attitudes, values, norms and prejudices against women used to maintain historical relations of power of men over women, and what are some proposals and recommendations to fight gender stereotyping in the Euro-Mediterranean region?
