On the first day of the training, trainers Loretta Handrabura and Ludmila Andronic spoke to participants about the risks and consequences of misreporting gender relations and the perpetuation of stereotypes in the media, as well as the ethical aspects of conflict reporting. Loretta Handrabura noted that monitoring and analysis of media products over the last decade still shows enough problems in terms of a balanced coverage of the contribution and value of both genres. Some progress, however, does exist. “Responsible journalists take care not to form erroneous public opinions and attitudes about women and men that reinforce stereotypes and prejudices. Thematic trainings in recent years have helped to shift the focus and understand the enormous informational value that gender-sensitive narratives can have," the facilitator said.

Gender balance and lack of balance in media products and public communication, the essential role of women in ensuring social balance in conflict prevention and post-conflict situations, how media professionals should report accurately from conflict zones – these and other related topics were debated on the second day of the training. "When reporting on conflict, any kind of conflict, you need to focus both on the media coverage of the event itself and also look at the context in which it occurs, to approach gender-sensitive topics much more rigorously and ethically. Also, when writing about the role and contribution of women in peacekeeping, you should take into account the principles of the UN Resolution on Women, Peace and Security," Ludmila Andornic specified. She also spoke about the security of media professionals working in conflict zones, the risks but also how safety and security could be ensured through correct actions, an ethical approach and personal and editorial accountability.

In practical exercises, teams of participants identified examples of gender stereotypes promoted in the media, analyzed cases of correct and incorrect use of images, the language and message of media materials, stories about refugee women and others.

At the end of the training, participants noted some useful knowledge and skills, which they have learned and will use in their professional work in the future. “For me it was important to understand the difference between certain concepts, perceptions, such as gender vs. sex, in order to use them correctly and avoid stereotyping. At the same time, we understood the importance of using the correct feminine forms of functions to help promote equality and fairness. In the future, I will pay more attention to respecting gender balance in materials, to have both women and men equally present as sources or protagonists. I would like to produce joint materials with some colleagues from the left bank of Nistru River about female professions practiced by men and vice versa,” said Irina Tabaranu, journalist at Zonadesecuritate.md portal. "We need to be objective when reporting on gender- and conflict-sensitive topics, to take into account the views of all parties involved in the conflict, to seek the opinions of independent experts. We should also pay attention to the language we use, and not allow the dignity of other people to be violated in our material," added Elizaveta Rotari, director of Comrat-based TV station ATV. "In the training I got a better understanding of how to report conflict situations correctly. I will try to use more female terminology for functions, although it is a challenge for me, as these provisions are not yet regulated in the legislation on the left bank of Nistru River," stressed blogger Elena Stepanova from Dubăsari.

The organizers urged the program beneficiaries to take part in the open competition with prizes “Contribution of Media Professionals to Strengthening Peace and Social Cohesion," recently launched by API. The competition runs from 1 November 2023 to 10 June 2024. On the purpose, conditions of participation and other details, click HERE.

This activity is part of the program "Media for Peace and Equality on Both Banks of Nistru River" implemented by the Association of Independent Press (API) under the project “Building Sustainable and Inclusive Peace, Strengthening Trust and Social Cohesion on Both Banks of Nistru River," jointly implemented by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), UN Women and UNDP, funded through the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UN PBF).