Gender Equality in the Media Sector
Publicity and communication influence our perception of reality through the repetition of images and messages that stimulate the critical acceptance of certain values, behaviour models and lifestyles.
In both publicity and communication they continue to use markedly sexist elements that socialise and normalise discriminatory social roles for women and men; they present people as superior or inferior in human dignity depending on their sex or they even justify, trivialise or incite violence against women. These models and prototypes are in clear disagreement with the educational and social goals that aim to achieve equality between women and men. Defending a media content does not mistreat, degrade or present women as inferior and that they offer an image of women and men as a reflection of the social reality to which we aspire is a priority of the BEGIRA Commission.
This commission is presided over by Emakunde and is composed of representatives from the office of the President of the Basque Government and the relevant departments in the areas of culture, education and tourism, Basque Radio and Television, the University of the Basque Country, women’s associations and consumers, and also experts in equality, advertising and communication. It is an advisory body and a meeting place, dedicated to providing advice and to analysing the advertising material that is broadcast through the media and other means of advertising in the Basque Country, in order to eradicate all forms of discrimination against people on the grounds of sex in the fields of advertising and communication. It also ensures the existence of ethical codes relating to the contents broadcast by public media, in addition to promoting agreements with private media that contribute to changing communication to comply with the principle of equality. Begira handles complaints, prepares reports, conducts studies and provides awareness-raising activities and training to the media.
