“Teaching Gender in Journalism and Media Studies” Workshop, a Forum for Mutual Learning and Sharing

In 2012, the United Nations issued a resolution on the Promotion, Protection and Enjoyment of Human Rights on the Internet, one of which acknowledged that expressions delivered online received the same protection as offline expression activities. But countless women still experience fear and are threatened when using their freedom of expression rights on the Internet. Female journalists, for example, were recorded to have many negative experiences with online expression.

This is one of the reasons why the Workshop on Teaching Gender in Journalism and Media Studies was held. The event is a collaboration between the Department of Communication at the FISIP Universitas Indonesia, Department of Journalism and Media Studies / Journalism & Media International Center (JMIC), Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway, International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT), and the Communication Research Center, Institute of Social and Political Research and Development (LPPSP FISIP) Universitas Indonesia.

“Female journalist have special negative experiences, and there is a need to summarize experiences and build strong supportive groups to prevent them from being silenced,” said Elisabeth Eide, Director of JMIC, Oslo Metropolitan University. Networking among women journalists, according to her, is important to fight for their own rights and also to increase empowerment.

This workshop is attended by 28 participants from 14 countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, India, UK, Malaysia, Egypt, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. Participants will exchange cross-geographical and other cross-border experiences about gender experiences in the media in practical journalistic experiences, media research, and experiences in teaching gender, journalism and media.

The Department of Journalism and Media Studies / Journalism & Media International Center (JMIC), Oslo Metropolitan University which is the initiator of the activity, has been involved in various gender studies for three decades. “Since there is too little contact across institutions and between academics and journalists on the issue, and many participants have much to share, and thus spread lessons learned,” said Eide. It is important to build gender media literacy together with other academic institutions and NGOs that are concerned with gender rights. “The workshop will be a learning experience for everyone,” said Eide.

Themes address in the workshop are gender-based media research: how to move forward and work together?; the impact of social media on gender and journalism; diversity, marginalization and intersections; and how to integrate gender perspectives in journalistic and academic settings.

Teaching Gender in Journalism and Media Studies Workshop will be held for three days from Monday 28 October to Wednesday 30 October 2019. Its activity was divided into two sub-activities, begins with a two-day workshop, 28 and 29 October 2019, at Margo Hotel, Depok. Then, on Wednesday, October 30, it will be followed by a presentation of the UNESCO report on Setting the Gender Agenda for Communication Policy and Gender, Media and ICTs; a report with gender inequality issue that is still exist as one of the focuses is. Under the auspices of GAMAG (Global Alliance on Media and Gender) which is a UNESCO network, the report shows the importance of a more massive struggle for gender equality, women’s rights and for the achievement of sustainable development.

The event will be closed with a book launching of Transnational Othering – Global Diversities, Media Extremism and Free Expression (Anthology, Nordicom), which is a collection of journalists’ and academics’ writings from various countries. This anthology book addresses complex and interrelated issues, such as the rise of extremism and terrorism, diversity and minority rights, as well as the condition of freedom of expression’s practices in eight different countries.

Interestingly, most of these countries are predominantly Muslim countries such as Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Tunisia, Afghanistan and Indonesia. One of the writings in the anthology which presents case from Indonesia entitled “Indonesia, when civil society government and Islamist collide” describes the situation and how freedom of speech is being practiced within days leading up to the 2018 Indonesia’s election.

This anthology book is the output of journalists and academics meeting at the 2017 Global Inter Media Dialogue (GIMD) held at FISIP UI, Depok. The Department of Communication, FISIP UI, is recorded to be a frequent host of international activities in collaboration with Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway. In addition to the 2017 GMID, the Safety of Journalism training was conducted in 2018 and was given to journalist alumni and journalism students.

In 2019, the Department of Communication of the Universitas Indonesia once again collaborated with Oslo Metropolitan University for the Teaching Gender in Journalism and Media Studies workshop. “This is a very important activity which is a part of the Higher Education’s obligations which are teaching, doing research, and community service. This kind of collaborative work with various countries accommodates us in the higher education to view various perspectives in teaching and research, “said Nina Mutmainnah, Head of the Communication Department at the FISIP UI.

UNESCO and Gender in the Media 30 Oct 2019 (pdf)

More photos and the pressrelease from Universitas Indonesia:

 

• Category: Gender