The World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) and World Council of Churches (WCC) have pledged their commitments to ensure a world free from bias, stereotypes and discrimination

The commitment was contained in a statement issued at the end of an online meeting on the theme of International Women’s Day, #BreaktheBias, on Tuesday to consider the role of media in a world striving for gender equality.

Media and gender experts from across the globe, including President of Journalists for Christ International Outreach and Secretary of the Africa Region of WACC, Lekan Otufodunrin participated in the round table discussion.

“Together our organisations not just imagine a gender-equal world, but work towards a world where all are valued, diversity is celebrated, inclusion is the standard, and equitable is the norm,” they stated.

While noting that the media in its broadest sense play a pivotal role in defining who we are as individuals and as a society, the organisations said the real-world consequences of media which promote stereotypes and discrimination, present violence against women as entertainment, allow abuse against women and girls to spread online and into the real world – or, through silence – allow gender inequality, injustice, and violence to fester and grow.

As media, WCC and WACC said the media can and has been a powerful force for justice and equality through news that represents women and men accurately and fairly strengthens our understanding of our communities.

“ Entertainment and advertisements which challenge stereotypes and attitudes can positively impact relationships and identities, while communication platforms which take responsibility to protect individuals from abuse and online violence can emphasize the message that behaviour online has offline consequences.

“ In this age of social media, we all bear responsibility for promoting and using our media channels to reflect the world we want to see and live in. We are committed to #BreaktheBias.”