Georgia organised the second #Media4Equality competition and award ceremony. This activity places gender equality and ethical media coverage on the agenda of journalists, photographers, bloggers, social media content creators and students and emphasizes its importance.

This year the Media4Equality award focuses on two priority topics:

• Gender aspects in times of war
• Inclusive coverage of marginalized groups

The award ceremony, which was held at the end of the 16 days campaign against gender-based violence and Human Rights week, was opened with welcome speeches by the representatives of the EU Delegation, the German Embassy and the executive director of WECF International.

Achieving gender equality within the media sector is on the European policy agenda, both in Europe and abroad. And here, we firmly believe that media can have a positive and transformative part to play in achieving gender equality in Georgia. I express my warmest congratulations to this year’s winners!

• Catalin Gherman, Acting Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Georgia

'Women empowerment is essential for human development and central in German-Georgian cooperation. Therefore, we support journalists that respect gender-sensitive and ethical reporting standards in their work. Together we can change the way women are portrayed and perceived in our societies.'

• Sarah Zielonka, Head of economic and press affairs, German Embassy to Georgia

“I would like to offer my warm congratulations to the #Media4Equality 2022 winners. WECF is working to encourage gender-sensitive, inclusive and ethical media coverage among journalists, photographers, bloggers, media platforms, social media content creators and future journalists. We believe that the ethical media plays a key role in promoting gender equality, creating feminist agenda and building inclusive societies.” 

• Sascha Gabizon, Director of WECF International
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• Ida Bakhturidze, co-director of WECF Georgia, added that:

“WECF Georgia has been actively trying to raise the issue of ethical coverage in the Georgian media for the last few years. With this award, on the one hand, we want to appreciate the work of those media representatives who work in compliance with ethical standards, and on the other hand, try to showcase through the winners' works, what a gender-sensitive and ethical media product means.

Awarding the Equality Champions in 6 categories was the major part of the event.

The 1st place winners are:

Tornike Mandaria in Best Central Media Product category

Lela Dumbadze in Best Regional Media Product category

Aniki Gelashvili in Best Visual Product category

Queer in Best Digital Platform category

Natia Gulisashvili in Best Individual Content Creator in Social Media category

Mariam Kvaratskhelia in Best Media Product Created By a Student category

According to the decision of WECF and this year's jury, a special prize was awarded to journalist Eka Kevanishvili for her significant contribution to the development of ethical media.

The ceremony ended with a concert of the Georgian queer feminist artist, Remmee, who, along with other songs, performed the song "Sister, you are strong in sisterhood", which is considered as the anthem of Georgian feminism.

Award Ceremony 2022 will be held within the framework of the European Union supported project - "Women's power - economic and political participation for an inclusive society in Georgia" and the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ funded project - "Her Portrayal - Her Right: Ethical Media in the Caucasus" ("Civil Society Cooperation" program).

For more information, please contact:

● Vero Melua, Communications Manager of WECF Georgia, vero.melua@wecf.org

● Tamriko Mikadze, Press and Information Officer, Delegation of the European Union to

Georgia, Tamriko.Mikadze@eeas.europa.eu