The Challenge of Gender Equality

Media Tenor Data Highlights a Path to Gender Equality at the Media for Social Good Conference at the United Nations in New York City

September 7, 2018. New York. -- Most countries around the world have agreed on the importance of gender equality, but this has yet to be achieved. This is one reason why 193 heads of state re-confirmed this basic right within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in order to reach this reality by 2030 at the latest. Obstacles to gender equality, however, are significant. In general, issues like the abolishment of child labor, the guarantee of freedom of religion, and the elimination of racism all receive more attention.

Visibility is key. When a case of child labor becomes known, global media cover it and consumer pressure kicks in. Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and his compatriots had a long march and the struggle for racial justice continues, but thanks to visibility in the global media change has become – and continues to become – a reality.

New research from Media Tenor International presented at the UN in New York at the Media for Social Change Conference shows that traditional media like prime time TV news, global business media, social media, and the tabloids all seem to have difficulties finding female academics when they need expert sources (please see the complete presentation). The same is true for female doctors, entrepreneurs, teachers, and many other professionals. In fact, Media Tenor found that on average women make up less than 20% of visible individuals in the media regarding topics like science, business, society, politics, sports, and more. Without the visibility of women across the spectrum of human endeavor it seems many have trouble viewing women as equal to men.

Roland Schatz, founder and CEO of Media Tenor International, presented a call for action at the conference, asking opinion-leading media around the world to publish quarterly the visibility of the genders in order to stimulate progress. He also advocated developing a teach-the-editors program to find news-relevant female sources can help to build gender equality. Additionally, Schatz suggested the creation of an awards initiative designed to celebrate best practices around the world in the fulfillment of SDG 5 going forward.

For over 20 years Media Tenor's mission has been to contribute to objective, diverse, and newsworthy media content by bringing together the relevant parties. Media Tenor's global research projects include analyses of election campaigns, investor relations, public diplomacy, corporate communications, and other topics critical to news makers and news audiences. Partnering with the UNGSII foundation, Media Tenor seeks to use its diverse, comprehensive media data to enable the world achieve the Sustainable Development Goals on schedule.

The UNGSII foundation was created to assist and accelerate the process of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 through transformation, empowerment, and celebration.

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