How Can Women Make the News?

On 21 June 2016 Council of Europe held a workshop on ‘Women in Politics and Representation Online’, during which the participants reflected on how women are accessing and are represented in electronic media. Risks and added value of social media for female candidates were discussed and experiences shared.

Following the workshop, which can be seen as a stepping-stone for future initiatives, a group of 15 women participated at a two-day ‘Training of Trainers on Understanding Social Media for Women Candidates’ on 22-23 June.  The Training covered the principles of social media, major social media sites, social media strategy, and measuring social media. Most of the participants highlighted the urgent need to use social media during both the electoral campaigns and after being elected, as an important tool with low costs and high outreach.

The training aimed at creating a pool of experts which will be able to enhance knowledge and skills on social media for female candidates to be used in 2016 local elections and to offer them individual coaching if requested.

Both the workshop and training are part of the PCF Project “Long-term electoral assistance to the election related stakeholders of Armenia” and were facilitated by Valentina Pellizzer and Belma Kučukalić, experts on social media and political participation of women in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Participants were representatives of local women’s organisations, international organisations, women activists and journalists.

Interview with Lilit Asatryan, President, Armenian Young Women’s Association (AYWA) and Tamara Hovnatanya, newspaper Woman and Politics

 

What should the priorities be for women active in politics?

Lilit: One such priority is building capacities and developing professional skills of women who want to go in to politics. For example, they should be trained in public speaking, formulation of vision, goal and strategy, use of online platforms, etc. Another aspect is related to the economic independence of women since, as history shows, only economically active females can afford to undertake activities on the political arena.

Tamara: Social media can promote women's political participation. They thus become more noticeable. It is also possible to conduct effective campaigns to break the negative stereotypes associated with the lack of women as political actors.

Do you consider Internet as a tool to promote participation of women in politics?

Lilit: Internet can offer a solid basis for this purpose. The package can include online courses, organisation of online campaigns, networks of politically active women to share relevant experiences, recognition within a wider group of voters, etc.

Internet also makes the communication between the candidates and their constituencies faster, more efficient and more targeted. As such it already offers many opportunities. It is just an issue as to how female candidates or organisations supporting them will use them and to what extent they will make these opportunities serve their needs effectively.