Summary

This initiative builds on UNDP's many years of work in the areas of democratic governance and gender equality. It is exploring influence and interconnection of media, communications, and culture on achieving gender equality. The special emphasis is put on gender mainstreaming of public communications, as well as innovative campaigns promoting women’s achievements in various areas. It involves different stakeholders including media, public administration, academia, NGOs, private sector and prominent journalists and communication experts. 

By contributing to the inclusion of the gender perspective in the daily work of relevant institutions/media, this action will further contribute to the development of public discourse based on the promotion of women's human rights and gender equality.  

All of the above will have a catalytic effect on the creation of a stimulating environment for the implementation of anti-discrimination policies and the strengthening of gender equality, two processes that are at the core of the Sustainable Development Agenda until 2030 and EU integration. 

Background

Women in Montenegro make half of population, but society has not yet seen a fully accomplished overall development contribution of women, particularly not to the extent corresponding to their real potential. They still represent a minority in social, economic, and political life. 

Gender, culture, and rights intersect in intricate and complex ways. The culture and tradition define society’s collective identity, including the typical gender roles and behaviors. It further profoundly shapes the media and communication discourses; consequently, the traditional and social media play a crucial role in shaping gender roles within societies.  

While inequalities and gender stereotypes exist in social structures and the minds of people, communication and media in different formats have the potential to propagate and perpetuate or to ameliorate these. Furthermore, the conscious or unconscious biases that majority of citizens, both men and women, sometimes have towards one-sidedly reductionist masculinist perspectives is partially due to the lack of capacity understand issues with regards to women’s rights and gender equality more broadly. 

Gender is a cultural and social construct, defined by the power relations between women and men, and the norms and values regarding ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ roles and behavior in a society.