Six years ago participants at the Global Forum on Media and Gender (Bangkok) resolved to establish the Global Alliance on Media and Gender

Toronto, 2 December 2019

Today marks six years since the Global Alliance on Media and Gender (GAMAG) was founded at the Global Forum on Media and Gender, in Bangkok. Convened by UNESCO and more than 500 organizations, GAMAG was envisaged as a multi-stakeholder approach to working on the “Women and Media” follow-up of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and to improve gender equality in and through the media.

Since then, GAMAG has consolidated its role as a key actor in the global sphere. Its International Steering Committee (ISC) has developed strategies to make GAMAG more diverse and inclusive, critical and socially committed; and to strengthen its management, including its governance processes and transparency in decision-making. 

During the past six years, the ISC has focused its efforts on making GAMAG a key actor in the improvement of global media policy, based on principles of gender equality and social justice principles, in forums such as the annual Commission on the Status of Women, and civic and academic meetings. GAMAG’s work – which includes organizing and participating in global events, developing policy papers and tools for media assessment, lobbying, publishing books, training, etc. – has made GAMAG a crucial actor, recognized by governments, the UN, regulatory bodies and NGOs. While the Alliance gained autonomy, its relationship to UNESCO has also been strengthened. 

Future plans include contributing to the consolidation of GAMAG as a global voice, by raising the visibility of the women, communication and human rights agenda and opening the dialogue on how it needs to be addressed. For this to happen, it is key to continue linking not only with governments, regional and international bodies, NGOs, academia, women media workers (including journalists), and unions, but also with media. 

Crucial global processes lie ahead. In 2020, the review of both the BPfA +25 and the 2030 Agenda +5 require attention to gender equality in all facets of communication – that is, in content, structures, policy and practice, and GAMAG has a key role to play.  

This will happen in a context where increasingly, conservative forces are fighting against women’s human rights. In the face of this challenge, GAMAG will seek to strengthen its strategy of improving gender equality in and through the media.

Contact: Aimée Vega Montiel, Chair