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Media forum sheds light on women’s achievements during pandemic

By Maram Kayed - Jun 30,2020 - Last updated at Jun 30,2020

AMMAN — A digital media forum on Women in Media and Gender-Sensitive Reporting during the COVID-19 Pandemic was held by UN Women and the Jordanian National Commission for Women on Tuesday.

 The forum’s theme is in line with the framework of Jordan’s National Action Plan implementing the UN Security Council Resolution No. 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, the latter of which acknowledged the disproportionate and unique impact of armed conflict on women and girls.

 With the support of the governments of Canada, the UK, Finland, Norway and Spain, the forum focused on women’s role in media reporting during the coronavirus pandemic.

 Salma Nims, Secretary General of the Jordanian National Commission for Women, said that the presence of women in the media “is not just about representation, but also about changing the narrative”.

 “It is not only about being the subject of the media but being in leadership positions as active agents of change,” she added. 

Nims noted that, as exemplified by domestic violence cases and female teachers being deprived of their rights in private schools, women have been affected by the pandemic’s implications “by double the effect on men”, which “requires a shift in the narrative”.

 “However, while women journalists have done a good job in covering and voicing the concerns of women, we want them to expand into other areas of expertise such as politics, economics and others,” Nims added.

 During the digital forum, Ambassador of the UK to Jordan Edward Oakden drew attention to a poster circulating online of seven Jordanian ministers who have been essential in the Kingdom’s coronavirus response. 

 “Although these ministers have indeed done a good job, the absence of a woman among them is a misinterpretation of the number of women that have contributed to the Kingdom’s response, as most of the healthcare workers were indeed female,” he said. 

“This conference will shine a very helpful spotlight on how, in practical terms, to achieve such visibility,” the ambassador noted. 

UN Women Jordan Representative Ziad Sheikh said: “The outbreak has further demonstrated the centrality and relevance of the Women, Peace and Security agenda, and media personnel are essential partners in placing women’s leadership and contributions at the heart of the COVID-19 response, resilience and recovery efforts.”

The forum included two-panel discussions with prominent Jordanian and regional media professionals. The first panel focused on the role of women as frontline responders during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the second panel addressed issues related to gender-sensitive reporting during crises.

 

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