(VOVworld) –Gender-Sensitive Indicators for Media in Vietnam were launched in Hanoi on Wednesday. It is a set of indicators for media institutions to effectively assess their gender-sensitive responsiveness.

Delivering leaflets on gender equality for female migrant workers. (Photo: Hong Kieu/Vietnam+)

The purpose of the GSIM tool is to facilitate gender equality and women's empowerment in and through the media.

The tool addresses topics related to internal media policy and strategies in addition to capacity building and informing training needs, and it allows media organizations to assess their gender sensitivity, develop necessary policies and strategies, and set and monitor progress towards goals. The document has been translated into Vietnamese and a number of its articles are adjusted to be properly applied in Vietnam.The translation can be found here: http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/FIELD/Hanoi/pdf/UNESCO_GSIM.pdf

Attending the launch ceremony, Shoko Ishikawa, the chief Representative of the UN agency on gender equality and empowerment of women (UN Women) in Vietnam, made recommendations: “first of all, it is important to create a better gender balance in executive and decision making positions in film-making as well as in the news media. There’s also a need for the media to set affirmative standards to portray images of women who are empowered. Related to that is the need to increase the portrayal of girls and women in areas such as science, technology, and engineering. With its powerful influence on shaping the perceptions of large audiences, the media are key players in the gender equality agenda and with influence comes responsibility.”

Radio the Voice of Vietnam is the first media agency in the country and one of the 25 agencies in the world to be selected to pilot the tool.