The Big Conversation: Handbook to Address Violence Against Women in and Through the Media

Violence against women remains one of the greatest human rights issues of our time. One in every three women will experience some form of physical or sexual violence (not including sexual harassment) in her lifetime. The Beijing Platform for Action, a global blueprint for the achievement of gender equality nearing its 25-year review, reminds us that there is still much work to do to stem the scourge of this epidemic. It also reminds us of the importance of media to this agenda. Television, film, radio, print and social media surround us on a daily basis, providing information, entertainment and ever-increasing channels of communication. These platforms, and the content they deliver, present both unrelenting challenges and incredible opportunities for the achievement of gender equality and the elimination of violence against women and girls.The discriminatory social norms that drive gender inequality and violence against women and girls have often been perpetuated through the stereotypical portrayals of men and women, not only along gender lines, but also other personal identities, such as race, language group, disability and social and economic status, among others. At the same time, media have powerfully contributed to opening up our imaginations, demonstrating the rich-ness of our diversity and holding promise for a world with more respectful relationships and greater harmony. It is this power that we seek to harness and support.UN Women and UNESCO are pleased to have collaborated on the production of this handbook, which is one in a series of handbooks being developed to advance implementation of A Framework to Underpin Action to Prevent Violence against Women (UN Women, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, OHCHR and WHO, 2015). This handbook provides guidance, tools and promising practices from countries across the globe for those working with and within media. It is our intention that this handbook provides entry points for accelerating progress towards gender equality in the systems and structures of organizations. We hope that it leverages what we know works in order to promote the values of diversity, equality and non-violence in the content that media produces.Åsa Regnér Moez Chakchouk Assistant Secretary-General Assistant Director-General Deputy Executive Director for Communication and Information UN Women UNESCO