22 May 2013

Over a Third of Euro Journalists’ Union’s Members and Leaders are Women, says IFJ/EFJ Study

A study

published jointly by the European and the International Federation of Journalists (EFJ and IFJ) has shown that women in Europe make up more than a

third (42%) of journalist's unions membership and leading positions (36%).

The results of

the study, which surveyed 21 unions and journalists' associations in Europe,

shows a three per cent decrease in the number of female members and leaders

compared to the results in the last EFJ survey in 2006.

"Although the

trend for improved representation cannot be considered to be reversed our

unions must remain vigilant as the gender equality issue is far from won," said

IFJ General Secretary Beth Costa. "These

results will help us launch focused actions supporting women in union

membership and their access to leading roles".

The survey aims to assess

progress made in reducing the representation gap between women and men in

journalists' trade unions. It also examines the number of young women with youth

membership, as well as freelance and permanent staffers' membership.

It presents an overview of

union gender policies adopted by IFJ/EFJ affiliates in Europe and assesses to

what extent the financial crisis has affected women and youth journalists more

specifically than men in the profession.

"Young women

make up 53% of youth membership in journalists' unions. This mirrors the

extensive feminization of our profession", said Kerstin Klamroth, the IFJ

gender council coordinator for Europe. "The fact that very few of them access

leading roles is a concern. We should think again about the space, policies and

structures we develop for women of all ages so that unions can better address

the needs of our profession".

The EFJ recently

elected a woman as its vide-president. The IFJ will hold its congress at the

beginning of June and will decide upon its new leadership.

"The up-coming

IFJ congress will be a good opportunity to tackle gender equality within our

leadership", said Costa. "We are taking important steps to allow this to happen

by adopting a gender mainstreaming approach throughout congress. We hope that

this will encourage women to stand for elections and actively participate in

congress activities".

Results of the

For more information, please contact IFJ on + 32 2 235 22 17
The IFJ represents more than 600.000 journalists in 134 countries