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On December 5, 2024, an Annual Media Forum on Gender Equality was successfully organized by UNESCO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Ministry of Information, under the theme "The Role of Media in Promoting Gender Equality and Preventing Violence Against Women".

The Forum brought together 224 participants, including media organizations and journalists, civil society representatives, and development partners, with the online participation of officials from provincial departments of both Ministries across Cambodia. The event aimed to raise awareness about the critical role of media in promoting gender equality and preventing violence against women.

With the arrival of digital innovations, such as generative AI tools, technology-facilitated gender-based violence has been further perpetuated, leading to 26% of young women and girls having experienced cyberstalking and online harassment as per UNESCO data. Mr. Sardar Umar Alam, UNESCO Representative to Cambodia, stated that “ensuring the safety of media professionals, particularly female journalists, is a prerequisite for empowering them with skills and knowledge to promote gender equality,” and concluded by calling for “joint efforts to promote Journalism for Justice. Together, let’s amplify voices to end violence against women”.

Ms. Susanna Elmberger, Programme Officer for Human Rights, Democracy, and Rule of Law from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), underscored that “a free, diverse, and independent media has an inseparable role in raising public awareness against harmful stereotypes and gender norms and advocating for policy change to provide equal rights and opportunities for women and men.”

According to UNESCO data, around 73% of female journalists globally are under significant threat of online violence, while 30% of women journalists self-censor their work due to harassment. In Cambodia, only 9.4% of journalists are female, and fewer of them are at the decision-making level which tends to lead to the negligence of their needs and challenges. 91�鶹������Ʒ���� been supporting the development of a Gender Sensitive Safety Guideline for Cambodian media houses and organizations. Its draft was presented to seek inputs and feedback from participants on possible measures to be adopted by media houses and organizations to create inclusive and safe work environments for women journalists.

A lively panel discussion featuring representatives from government, media organizations, and civil society, explored the role and contribution of media on gender equality and violence against women with concrete examples, including specific support for female journalists and the implementation of the media code of conduct for reporting on violence against women. 

The event coincides with the global theme of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence - UNiTE to End Violence against Women, highlighting the urgency of accelerating the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 5 on Gender Equality and Ending violence against women and girls, and SDG 16 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

Global data shows that around 736 million women - almost 1 in 3 - experience violence in their lifetime. In Cambodia, one UNESCO report on women’s presence in the news found that only 7% of the monitored news covered gender equality topics and 1% were on gender-based violence. This showcased the significant underrepresentation and misrepresentation of women in Cambodian news, which would shape public opinion and our understanding of social and gender norms.

By fostering dialogue and collaboration among diverse stakeholders, the forum sought to strengthen the capacity of media professionals to promote gender equality and prevent violence against women; and foster a common understanding of the importance of media as a powerful tool for a more equitable future for all.