Nearly 30 journalists and communications officers receive certificates for attending a programme called ‘Gender and Gender Equality with Young Journalists and Communications Officers’ organised by the NGO For Vietnamese Stature Foundation and sponsored by the Korean Institute for Gender Equality Promotion and Education. Photo Courtesy of VSF

HCM CITY — Nearly 30 journalists and communications officers learnt about gender and gender equality and avoiding unintentional reinforcement of gender stereotypes in their media and communication products at a forum held in Hà Nội.

‘Gender-sensitive Communications - Reality and Our Actions’ was organised last weekend to mark the National Action Month on Gender Equality and Prevention and Response to Gender-based Violence (November 15 - December 15) by NGO For Vietnamese Stature Foundation (VSF) with sponsorship from the Korean Institute for Gender Equality Promotion and Education (KIGEPE).

It was held as part of a programme called ‘Gender and Gender Equality with Young Journalists and Communications Officers’ that seeks to train young journalists and communications officers to become gender pioneers who can contribute to raising public awareness and changing behaviour.

Đinh Đức Hoàng, deputy general director of the UNESCO Vietnam Centre of Information, and Trần Hồng Điệp, deputy director of VSF, spoke about the stereotypes and social norms commonly encountered in media and communications products.

Hoàng also shared tips for verifying information and avoiding misinformation in the media.  

Chayoung Son, programme manager at KIGEPE’s international cooperation centre, said: “Considering the influence of today's media on the public and the dependence of teenagers on information produced on social media, we believe that education and training consisting of improving gender sensitivity and media reports based on gender perspectives are timely.

“The programme is expected to have a great ripple effect if participants report their experience in the training through their media.”

After the programme all the participants will remain in an online network to share the results and exchange experiences. VNS