Open letter from female media professionals to parliamentary community of all legislatures, political parties, executive bodies and local self-government bodies

  We, women working in the media sphere, strongly condemn and consider the remark as to the journalist for “Novoe Vremya” weekly Olga Dukhnych that MP from "Servant of the People" party Maksym Buzhansky as sexist, offensive and degrading honor, dignity of the person and profession. The default of excuses from the politician, as well as the ambiguous explanation of « Servant of the People » party on Facebook, which, on the one hand, condemn actions of their party member and, on the other, justify such actions as his reaction to "evaluative judgments", casts doubts that such statements or actions of the official at power won’t be repeated anymore. In addition, sexist or other offensive statements targeting the journalists have been repeatedly heard from the politicians. These were, in particular, "my darling", as Petro Poroshenko addressed to the journalist of ”Detector Media” Marina Baranivska, "the boy", as the current President Volodymyr Zelensky treated the journalist for “Schemes” program Mykhaylo Tkach, then the head of the President's Office Andriy Bohdan hugged the female journalist of the radio “Liberty”, as she asked him questions. Such words and actions are inadmissible, because they abase the profession and human dignity. We emphasized that obnoxious behaviour, unceremoniousness, disrespect and sexism, by no means, can be part of communication between representatives of the authorities and the media. Such actions and words of politicians translate into spreading and tolerating of similar attitude, its copying, which leads to popularization of humiliation and disrespect for human honor and dignity in the society. We, women working in the media sphere, demand from the political forces, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the President of Ukraine, executive authorities and local self-government bodies to:

1. Elaborate and implement a code of conduct that would prohibit sexism and provide for the liability of deputies and deputies females of various levels, political parties and other government officials from using it.
2. Develop and implement recommendations to combat sexism in activity of these institutions and provide an adequate resource for such activities.
3. For Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to introduce the legislation that prohibits sexism in the media and encourages monitoring and implementation of such measures.
4. Provide training for deputies and deputies females of the parliament the basic training course on human rights and freedoms and specialized disciplines that highlight gender equality, emphasize the importance of non-sexist behavior at work.

We remind that sexism is directly correlated with gender-based violence, which is contrary to the development of Ukraine as a democratic, rule-of-law, European-oriented state. Ukraine is a member of the Council of Europe, and its valuable European choice is, in particular, confirmed by the state's attitude to the so-called "soft law". Actually, it is question of the Recommendations CM/R 92019)1 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on  preventing and combating Sexism. Please, note that Ukraine should report to the relevant Committee both on violations of this recommendation and on achievements on combating sexism, in particular at the legislative and state level. The Recommendation, in particular, emphasize: “Sexism is especially damaging when the author is in a position of power, authority or influence such as a politician, an opinion maker or a business leader. Another aggravating factor is where the reach, or potential reach, of the sexist words or acts is extensive, including the means of transmission, use of social or mainstream media and the degree of repetition."

Signatories:

1. Victoriya Ermolaeva, journalist, editor of the site "Respect. Campaign Against Sexism in Politics and Media"
2. Elizabeth Kuzmenko,coordinator of the Women in Media Initiative
3. Larisa Denysenko, human rights activist and journalist for Hromadske Radio
4. Bogdana Stelmakh, coordinator of Volyn press club, public activist, media expert
5. Nadiya Babinska (Virna), correspondent for “Women is 50 Percent of Ukraine Success” site, open source expert
6. Oksana Romanyuk, Executive Director of the Institute of Mass Information (IMI), Member of the Commission on Journalism Ethics
7. Yanina Sokolova, journalist and TV presenter on Rendez-vous and Cinema on 5 Kanal, host of “Evening with Yanina Sokolova” on YouTube
8. Iryna Zemlyana, media expert, security coach for journalists of the Institute of Mass Information (IMI)
9. Olga Sytnyk, editor-in-chief of the Ukrayinska Pravda-Life website
10. Natalia Zvoryhina,editor-in-chief of Zaporizhzhya Pravda
11. Olga Vesnyanka, media trainer, journalist of Radio Hayat
12. Zoya Krasovska, journalist, teacher at the School of Journalism of Ukrainian catholic University
13. Iryna Sedova, journalist and human rights activist of the Crimean Human Rights Group
14. Christina Morozova, activist, "Respect. Campaign against sexism in politics and the media"
15. Tetyana Troschynska, editor-in-chief of Hromadske Radio
16. Lesya Ganzha, journalist, editor-in-chief of the website "Women are 50 percent of Ukraine's success"
17. Svetlana Bondar, journalist, editor-in-chief of Opinion
18. Iryna Slavinska, journalist, coordinator of the campaign against sexism in politics and media “Respect”, winner of the Alexander Kryvenko Prize
19. Marina Kuraptseva, independent journalist, media trainer, board member of the civil organization Alliance for Civil Rights
20. Tetyana Kurmanova, journalist, director of TRC Hromadske Radio ”
21. Maya Golub, journalist, regional correspondent of the Institute of Mass Information in Volyn region
22. Yevgeniya Virlych, journalist, member of National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, editor of the regional resource “Kherson Bulletin” (visnik.ks.ua)
23. Yana Mashkova, media analyst at the Institute of Mass Information
24. Lyubov Vasylik, head of journalism department at Chernivtsi National University named of Yu. Fedkovich, IDEO media expert
25. Iryna Ostrovska, correspondent for the Espresso channel in Lviv
26. Alina Shubska, free lance journalist, editor, activist
27. Anaid Agadzhanova, Editor of UA Digital Platforms UA: Suspilne
28. Olena Kholodenko, freelance journalist (Detector Media, Russian desk of Radio Liberty, Hromadske Radio)
29. Nadezhda Trush, journalist at kolo.news, Poltava
30. Arina Krapka (Irina Musiy),journalist of the Chesno movement, a contributor to the “50%” site, gender activist
31. Diana Dutsyk, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Institute of Media and Communication, Lecturer at the Kyiv Mohyla School of Journalism
32. Kateryna Matsyupa, Hromadske Radio journalist, “Respect. Campaign Against Sexism in Media and Politics ”
33. Olena Badiuk, journalist for Ukrainian Radio
34. Natalka Sirobab, kolo.news journalist, “Respect. Campaign Against Sexism in Media and Politics ”
35. Yevgeniya Goncharuk, journalist, producer of “Radio NV”
36. Aleksina Dorohan, journalist
37. Tatiana Story, Executive Director of Donetsk Press Club
38. Anastasia Eva Domani, journalist and activist of the CEEC Trans-Coalition
39. Olga Padiryakova, editor-in-chief of the ZMINA Human Rights Center
40. Anna Redko, journalist, TV presenter and producer of TV5's morning show
41. Olena Rebryk, editor-in-chief of the Hromadske Radio website
42. Christina Petrik,journalist, presenter of the Pershy municipal (Odessa)
43. Anastasia Magazova, journalist
44. Maria Teteryuk, lecturer at the Kyiv Mohyla School of Journalism
45. Anastasia Zolotareva, journalist, deputy editor in chief, head of the media center of Informator news agency, in Dnipro
46. Valeria Pechenik, Editor of IA See Info, Lviv
47. Dovbish Marina, editor of www.4mama.ua
48. Natalia Ligachova, head of NGO " Detector Media "
49. Victoria Goncharenko, freelance journalist
50. Tatiana Lokatska, journalist, member of the Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine, lawyer (Mykolaiv)
51. Iryna Protsyk, journalist, program director of Pershe radio (Lviv)
52. Anastasia Safandula, journalist and a student at Ukrainian catholic University’s School of Journalism
53. Tatiana Lebedeva, Media Expert, Member of the Journalist Ethics Commission
54. Lina Kushch, first secretary of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine.
55. Olena Churanova, fact-checker of StopFake.org project, media trainer
56. Olga Rusina, journalist for Hromadske Radio
57. Taisiya Gerasimova, journalist, founder of update.com.ua
58. Svetlana Ostapa, deputy Chief Editor of “Detector Media”, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of PJSC National public television and radio company of Ukraine (NPTU)
59. Anastasia Bagalika, journalist for Hromadske Radio
60. Anastasia Alekseenko (Ana More), Hromadske Radio journalist, “Respect. Campaign Against Sexism in Media and Politics ”
61. Victoria Nazaruk, journalist of news agency “It's Exactly, Friend”
62. Valeria Yushkova,Hromadske Radio journalist, Respect journalist. Campaign against sexism in politics and media
63. Gala Sklyarevska, journalist with “Detector Media”
64. Galina Petrenko, Director of " Detector Media "
65. Tatiana Kasyan, editor-in-chief of WoMo site, journalist, author of “What they are reluctant of”
66. Victoria Sidorenko, PR Director UA: Public Broadcasting
67. Ivanna Kobeleva, Editor of the Language Policy Portal
68. Mariana Romaniak, journalist, founder of First Media School
69. Daria Kurinna, journalist
70. Taisiya Semenova, DT.UA journalist
71. Marina Singayevskaya, Deputy Director General of news agency Ukrinform
72. Olena Masalitina, literary editor of gender journal “I”, expert and trainer on non-discriminatory approach in education
73. Olga Perekhrest, journalist, editor-in-chief of the online magazine "Kufer", teacher of the School of Journalism of UCU
74. Olga Yurkova, journalist, media trainer
75. Maria Gavrilyuk, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of AC "Kurs"
76. Valentina Kuzyk, expert on gender programs and Internews inclusivity
77. Lilia Rzutska, journalist of the Ukrainian editorial desk of Deutsche Welle (Germany)
78. Iryna Trebunskikh, journalist at the Kirovohrad regional weekly “People's Word”, correspondent for QHA media.
79. Alina Belobra, journalist for Hromadske radio
80. Maria Zavyalova, editor-in-chief of Project Now, Hromadske TV
81. Anna Novozhilova, author for Wix, editor-editor of update.com.ua
82. Olga Polyakova, blogger, founder of Gender Stream, Dnipro
83. Maria Dmitrieva, blogger, gender specialist, founder of "Feminism of UA"
84. Elina Sardalova, journalist for Radio Liberty
85. Olga Kirilenko, journalist
86. Iryna Goyuk, journalist, project manager for Media Development Foundation
87. Tatiana Kozak, journalist
88. Valentina Troyan, editor of the regional service of Hromadske Radio
89. Darya Fedenko, editorial editor, the 24^th Channel
90. Natalia Minaylo, journalist, magazine about the city "Skyscraper"
91. Victoria Kobylyaka, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of “Women – 50% Success of Ukraine Project”
92. Sophia Skiba, Editor-in-Chief of First Kryvyi Rih news portal
93. Anastasia Gorpinchenko, journalist for Hromadske Radio, “Respect - Campaign Against Sexism in Politics and Media”
94. Lindeman Alice, journalist and host of Talk Show 42
95. Anna Kotikhova, journalist, member of the National Art Museum
96. Svetlana Romanenko - Editor-in-Chief of 0564.ua site
97. Julia Buyakova, freelance journalist, editor
98. Olga Todchuk, journalist, author of Talk Show 42
99. Yarina Zheldak, freelance journalist, international lawyer
100. Elizabeth Tsaregradska, journalist for Hromadske Radio and UA: Suspilne