Europese media moet gelijkheid tussen seksen beter uitdragen (en)

The European Union does not have any indicators that allow research into the behaviour of the European media with respect to gender equality, the Spanish Minister for Equality, Bibiana Aído, acknowledged.

For this reason, Cyprus will begin work on the development of some indicators for women and the media during the second semester of 2012, and Ireland, in cooperation with the European Institute of Gender Equality, will present a report and proposed conclusions in the first semester of 2013, Aído announced.

These indicators will make it possible for data to be brought up to date, to know the extent of equality in the media and to establish more efficient strategies to achieve this equality, the Minister explained at the closing of the meeting of experts on "Equality and the Media", held this Monday in Madrid.

Among other conclusions that were reached during the meeting, was the denouncement that the media do not offer an image in accordance with the changes that women have experienced in recent times, as well as the accusation that they continue to project stereotypes and are reluctant to promote women to positions of responsibility, in spite of the fact that "their efficiency and worth" has been proven.

Aído affirmed that the relation between the media and equality "should be extensive and that they should be moving in the same direction" and she stated that "it is time to emphasise in capital letters" questions such as the struggle against gender violence and against sex trafficking.

The Spanish Minister also pointed out that "it is time to eliminate publicity that trivializes prostitution (...) and which is an affront to the dignity of women", in reference to announcements for sexual contacts in some European publications.