Kazakh National University teachers have conducted a training on gender equality for representatives of 15 faculties and departments of faculty of journalism

“Strengthening of educational program on gender journalism” was proposed by the International Journalism and Mass Communication and the Department UNESCO supported by UNESCO/UN International Program for the development to communications.

In two days participants of the training (equal number of women and men) have explored gender-sensitive indicators of communication, acquired the skills of strategic gender analysis in journalistic production; learned how to set correctly the gender balance in mass media, to combat stereotypesand prejudices, and to identify the in journalistic texts. During the process of collaboration and exercises the participants of the training could develop a general algorithm of proceeding on installation of gender issues in educational programs and to identify the teaching methods of this discipline to students of the Faculties of Journalism in Kazakhstan.

Sagatbek Medubek, Dean of the Faculty of Journalism, who was opening the training program mentioned that according to the World Economic Forum gender equality index, Kazakhstan was on the 51^st place among 144 countries in 2017. That is a good outcome, but further efforts are required.

1. A. Karpov, the specialist of communication and information department of the UNESCO Cluster Officein Almaty noted, that we need actions on supporting gendere quality in media-organizations, education, content of media; strengthening of self-regulation of modern media organizations since full involvement of men and women in the development of economy, business and culture contribute movements towards peace, prosperity and sustainable development of the country.

Professor N. T. Shyngyssova, the manager of the project “Strengthening of educational program on gender journalism” drew the attention of the participants to the strong legal framework created in Kazakhstan for underpinning and developing the gender equality. Thus, the country has joined more than 60 international agreements on human rights; the Law “About State Guarantees of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities of Men and Women” and the law “On Prevention of Domestic Violence” were passed in 2009.

In modern Kazakhstan women are represented almost in all fields of economy, they create 40% of GDP, there are 29 women in Mazhilis of Kazakhstan; 44% of small and medium scale enterprises are headed by women. However there are another numbers: twice as many men-managers than women-managers, the gap in remuneration estimated at 30% in favour of men, women are less employed and less payed; the level of unemployment among women is higher, etc. Women are less represented in management of domestic  editions, to less extent influence to the concept of editions and channels, accordingly, male’s perspective on understanding of problems is presented more often.

The training was a perfect opportunity to discuss all the specter of existing problems. Thorough analysis of gender indicators in advertising speech, stereotypical forms of broadcasting women’s image in media, trust polylog, open discussions, exercises, workshops, interactive tasks presented by the coaches (A. Rozhkov, E. Dudinova, M. Yergebekov) attracted significant interest among participants.