Gender Equality is not a Hot Topic for Media in Estonia

Merike Viilup, Estonain journalist and media expert, shows an advertisement of a tree cutting machine during the meeting with group of youth and youth workers from 14 countries, who participated in "Gender and Media" Training Course in Nelijarve, Estonia, on August 7-13. A half-naked woman with a sexy look who carries the cutting machine in the forest is presented in this advertisement. This ad is from a local newspaper and is a bright example of what Merike Viilup would like to change regarding the perception of gender equality. "Unfortunately, this ad is not an exception. It is a widely accepted point of view that a woman should be presented in a sexy way, with bright make-up and nice clothes", said Merike Viilup.

"There is only one woman minister in Estonia out of twelve. Women are paid 30% less than men. These facts clearly present the situation of gender inequality in Estonia. I have to mention that media is not interested in covering and discussing gender equality issue", said Ruta Pels, a journalist and the president of Eesti People to People NGO, organizer of "Gender and Media" training course funded by EU Youth in Action Programme and People to People European Fund. 22 participants from Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Bulgaria, Italy, France, Sweden, Israel, Jordan, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Georgia and Turkey gathered in Estonia to find the ways how to change the gender equality perception in media.

"This training course was designed for a week. I do hope that the lectures and meetings in Nelijarve and Tallinn during study trips to Tallinn University, ENUT, Estonian TV and Radio, women magazine 'Jana' and Etnoweb internet-portal will help the participants to get new knowledge and have the gender sensitive glasses to be able to analyse what media offer in reality and the way it should be done", said Ruta Pels. More information on Facebook, section "Gender and Media" and http://www.ptpest.ee/, contact Ruta Pels, Eesti People to People president: ptpest@hot.ee

Information provided by Arevik Badayan, Youth Club of Armenia