NEWS

The title of the 9th International Conference on Social Communication – The value of diversity. Towards a new gender culture – highlights the message that Pubblicità Progresso proposes: recognizing discriminatory behaviors means starting to consider all diversities in a new way, particularly gender diversity, and represents the first step towards a more equitable relationship that benefits everyone, men and women, as well as society as a whole.

Pubblicità Progresso intends to remind us that gender diversity is a value and to raise awareness that a balanced representation of genders in every aspect of social, political, and working life can contribute to gradually eliminating all forms of discrimination. Furthermore, Pubblicità Progresso wants to remind us that it is urgent to intervene with young people to try to change their attitudes and behaviors.

The Conference proposes reflections and in-depth analyses on some of the many aspects that make up the complex issue of gender mainstreaming: a more significant presence of women in the workplace; greater representation in decision-making bodies; a change of pace in the fight against violence, abuse, stereotypes, and prejudices.

The role of women in the world of work and institutions

The world of work is not always friendly to women: they earn less than men, are the most penalized in times of crisis, and often have to leave their jobs due to the inability to reconcile family and work needs… But something is changing: more responsible companies are implementing policies to promote work-life balance, create services to support families, value motherhood, promote job sharing and teleworking. And they are starting to introduce tools to overcome even the economic discrimination that still significantly penalizes women.

The adoption of non-discriminatory policies is an important first step: but interventions aimed at promoting the presence of women in top positions, valuing female entrepreneurship, and facilitating access and careers in traditionally male sectors are also important. More generally, to qualify the role of women in the labor market

A greater presence of women is also needed in institutions and politics so that gender representation is effective and reflects the role of men and women in our society. Citizenship rights, integration, and non-discrimination are, in fact, the objectives to be achieved if we want to guarantee real equality for all.

It is also important to empower women more: a growth process based on increasing self-esteem, self-efficacy, and self-determination helps to bring out latent resources and can lead women to consciously take ownership of their potential.

Overcoming preconceptions and stereotypes

Highlighting gender inequality is a particularly important step. In fact, sometimes inequality is not considered a problem because it is not seen by men and, sometimes, not even by women.

A real cultural change, which leads to overcoming preconceptions and stereotypes, must start from the family and the school: in games and education, from children’s books to school textbooks, an image of women is still proposed today that does not correspond to their real role in society.

The language must also change: the declension of words in the feminine and masculine or the use of universal terms can be the beginning of a journey towards equality. To initiate change, the participation of communication professionals is also necessary: only in this way can we overcome the stereotyped use of the image of women in the media.

The fight against violence and abuse

Violence – a serious and ever-present problem – can take many different forms: in addition to physical violence, there is also psychological, economic violence, etc.c.

But even when addressing the issue of violence, it is necessary to take a step forward: for example, by breaking the stereotype of the victim of violence as a lonely person with her problem, helping weaker women to improve their self-esteem and involving different social actors

It is important to have a greater awareness not only in the use of the image of women but also in the process of valuing her role in society.

For all these reasons, the Pubblicità Progresso campaign on gender equality, which will be presented at the Conference, will not be limited to a mere awareness-raising activity, but will propose, thanks to the opportunities offered by the web and social networks, real support to help women have the place they deserve in society, fighting prejudices and stereotypes and avoiding creating new ones.