On March 6 in Kyiv, the National Council, together with the NGO Women in Media and with the support of the international organization International Media Support (IMS), presented the first collection of best practices on equality and diversity in Ukrainian media – «Media That Change: Best Practices of Equality and Diversity in Ukrainian Newsrooms». During the event, editorial teams that have implemented these standards in their work were also recognized.
The presentation was attended by members of the National Council Maksym Onopriienko and Olena Nitsko; Gohar Khodjayan, Programme Manager at IMS, Denmark; Liza Kuzmenko, Head of the NGO Women in Media; as well as representatives of editorial teams whose practices were included in the collection.
The collection is a systematized overview of practices in Ukrainian media in the field of equality and diversity. It includes cases from national and local newsrooms for 2024-2025 that implement the principles of gender equality, diversity, and inclusion both in content and in the organization of editorial work. The materials were prepared on the basis of information submitted by editorial teams during the open call for best practices initiated by the media regulator.
«This collection is structured in a very convenient way and divided into two logical sections. The first is devoted to equality in content, while the second focuses on organizational practices within newsrooms. It was compiled on the basis of experiences submitted by editorial teams during the call for best practices. And perhaps most importantly, all the examples provided are highly practical – they can be applied in the daily work of newsrooms and serve as models even without large budgets», clarified Liza Kuzmenko.
Maksym Onopriienko emphasized the role of the media in shaping public attitudes and promoting practices of equality and diversity.
«The media truly have the ability to change beliefs, influence public moods, and sometimes even people’s destinies. Importantly, these changes often do not require additional budgets or separate structures. They begin with everyday editorial decisions – from how a headline is formulated, to who is invited to the studio, and how instances of discrimination are addressed», he noted.
According to a member of the media regulator, the collection brings together both examples of media content – in particular on the visibility of women, veterans, LGBTQ+, persons with disabilities, religious and ethnic communities – as well as specific management decisions and editorial policies that media outlets can adapt and implement in their work.
IMS representative Gohar Khodjayan emphasized that supporting gender equality and diversity is one of the organization’s strategic priorities across different countries, including in Eastern Europe and Ukraine.
«For us, supporting gender equality in the media is not a separate thematic area, but part of a broader vision of media resilience and democratic development. Especially during wartime, this becomes not only a sensitive but also a necessary issue. Practices of equality and diversity help reduce internal conflicts within newsrooms, improve the quality of content, and bring media closer to real society», she underlined.
Gohar Khodjayan also added that the collection demonstrates that Ukrainian media are not only recipients of recommendations from international partners, but also active drivers of change in the field of equality and diversity.
During the presentation, participants also discussed the role of the media in shaping an inclusive information space and shared practical experiences of implementing changes within newsrooms.
The collection has been created as a practical tool for editors, media managers, journalists, HR specialists, as well as donors and partners of the media sector. It brings together real examples of solutions already functioning in newsrooms of different scales – ranging from internal policies and management practices to approaches for producing gender-sensitive and inclusive content.
During the event, distinctions were awarded to newsrooms that implement the principles of gender equality, diversity, and inclusion. In total, 12 outlets of various types of media – television, print, online publications, and radio – were recognized.
As Olena Nitsko noted, for the organizing team it is particularly important to recognize newsrooms that work systematically to create equal and supportive conditions within the media environment.
«Despite all the challenges of the war, they continue to fulfill an exceptionally important professional mission», she emphasized.
The following outlets received awards:
- Online publication «Tribuna.Sumy»
- Editorial team of the newspaper «Visti Zmiivshchyny»
- Online publication «Nashe Misto»
- Online publication 0564.ua
- Print newspaper «Vist»
- Print publication «Misto i Richka»
- District print newspaper «Yampilsky Visti»
- Online portal «Hrechka»
- Print publication, editorial team «Nove Zhyttia»
- Educational online media «Vchysia.Media»
- Suspilne Ukraine
- Online publication «Shpalta»
- Radio «Nakypilo»
- YouTube channel «Roma – Tse My»
- Network of online publications «Hromada.Group»
- Television ССE-ITA «VITA»
- Hromadske Radio
- CE «Telekompaniia Uman»
- Online media Post Impreza
- Media holding StarLight Media
- Publication «Ukrainian Week»
The National Council and «Women in Media» plan to make this distinction an annual initiative. In this way, the organizers aim to encourage more and more media outlets to be open, diverse, and inclusive – both in the organization of newsroom work and in the materials prepared for audiences.
It is possible to watch the presentation and learn about the projects and practices of media professionals for which they received awards here.
