Within the framework of the project “Gender-Sensitive Journalism for Local Media Pluralism (GEM)”, the NGO Info-centre has launched a series of five online educational sessions focusing on gender equality and gender-sensitive, ethical and responsible local and regional journalism.
The sessions are attended by five teams, consisting of one journalist and one civic activist, who, through interactive and participatory methods, including case studies, group discussions and practical exercises, upgrade their knowledge on gender equality, gender stereotypes, gender-based violence, gender disinformation, as well as gender-sensitive reporting and the use of gender-sensitive language in the public sphere.
The first two online sessions were held on May 21, 2026, under the leadership of Neda Chalovska, a lawyer and expert on gender equality, non-discrimination, gender-based violence, and anti-discrimination. The sessions were dedicated to gender equality, gender-based violence, and digital gender-based violence, as well as existing mechanisms for protection from digital gender-based violence.
The next two sessions, held on May 27, 2026, were dedicated to gender-sensitive reporting, as well as reporting on gender-based violence, with journalist and expert on gender equality and gender-sensitive journalism, Ognen Janeski.
In recent years, we have witnessed a systematic spread of anti-gender narratives that portray gender equality and related policies as threats to traditional values and social norms. These narratives are particularly amplified at the local level, where limited access to verified information, weaker media capacities and strong local political and social influences create a vulnerable environment for polarized and misinterpreted interpretations of gender issues.
The relevance of the project “Gender-Sensitive Journalism for Local Media Pluralism (GEM)” is particularly strong in conditions where the media landscape in North Macedonia is characterized by a significant number of local and regional media, especially online portals, in which internal editorial policies related to gender equality and safety, are often absent or remain purely declarative.
The main objective of the project is to strengthen the professional capacity of local and regional media in North Macedonia to exercise freedom of expression, improve access to information and promote media pluralism through gender-sensitive, ethical and responsible journalism.
This article, developed as part of the project Gender-Sensitive Journalism for Local Media Pluralism (GEM), implemented by NGO Info-centre is supported through the MEdIA–Lit project, implemented by the Centre for Civic Education (CCE/CGO), in partnership with Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia (HCHRS), Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in North Macedonia (MHC), Tirana Centre for Journalistic Excellence in Albania (TCJE), Atlantic Initiative in Bosnia and Herzegovina (AI). The project is financed by the European Union and co-financed by the Ministry of Regional and Investment Development and Cooperation with Non-Governmental Organizations of the Government of Montenegro.
