The European Commission highlighted the role of media in the elimination of violence against women with the “Gender Sensitive Reporting” seminar 26 November at the Cyprus Turkish Journalists Association in Nicosia.  The seminar hosted a keynote speaker, Prof. Sevda Alankuş and was organised within the context of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

After the opening speeches by Ms. Pelin Maneoğlu and Mr. Sami Özuslu, Prof. Alankuş examined the media, the masculinity of the language of the media, the incomplete representation of women, and patriarchal discourses on the female body in her presentation. Prof. Alankuş underlined the need for another language and representation policy for women, with a particular focus on how violence against women is reported in the local media. Prof. Alankuş also covered this topic in her presentation with various examples, providing alternative methods and tools for reporting cases of violence against women in the media. The event aimed to bring together journalists, media specialists, researchers, local stakeholders and communities, NGOs and practitioners in the field to explore and generate a discussion on gender sensitive reporting.

The European Commission financed a research project in the Turkish Cypriot community on this issue which was carried out by non-governmental organisation KAYAD. The statistics in the Turkish Cypriot community are the same as Europe with one in three women experiencing some form of violence throughout their lives.