Gender Equality in the Audiovisual Sector: Council of Europe Recommendation

On 27 September 2017, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has adopted a landmark Recommendation on Gender Equality in the Audiovisual Sector.

The recommendation was drafted by a wide range of international experts from funds and broadcasters in Council of Europe member states, with feedback from representatives of prominent industry bodies and academics.

It is the first ever pan-European recommendation to acknowledge the problems inherent in the industry from a gender perspective, including: the lack of awareness of the prevalence of gender inequality; the conscious and unconscious gender bias at all levels and the unequal distribution of funding for audiovisual content among women and men; and to promote a variety of practical solutions to address these issues.

The recommendation invites governments of Council of Europe member states to:

• review their legislation and policies;

• collect, monitor and publish data;

• support research;

• encourage the ongoing development of media literacy and

• enhance the accountability processes.