Women are often the first to feel the impact of environmental stress, and the last to be heard when policies are made. So why does the media still frame women as side characters, victims, or “helpers,” instead of leaders and decision-makers? That’s the problem at the heart of this course. You’ll learn how gender stereotypes in media coverage shape public opinion, influence resources, and quietly limit women’s human rights. Expect a clear, engaging guide to gender equality, media representation, environmental justice, and the rights of the girl child.
You’ll start with the roots of gender analysis in mass media, including the Mexico City Conference in 1976, which helped launch the U.N. Decade for Women. From there, you’ll track how women organized, pushed back, and created fundamental shifts in visibility and power. The course stays concrete with examples such as Ann S. Moore’s leadership at Time Inc. during the industry’s shift from print to a broader media era, and the Women’s Edition Program, which supports women journalists across the global South in reporting stories from their own communities and contexts.
Next, you’ll connect women’s daily roles in managing land, water, and household resources to the bigger picture: sustainable development, peace, and security. Then the focus sharpens on girl child rights, including non-discrimination, protection from harm, and full participation in family and social life. You’ll examine barriers such as female genital mutilation (FGM), sex-selective abortions, and child marriage, and study proven responses through organizations like Dr Bogaletch Gebre’s Kembatti Mentti Gezzimma-Tope (KMG) and the Yemeni Women’s Union (YWU). You’ll finish with practical insight you can use in advocacy, education, journalism, and community work.
What You Will Learn In This Free Course
View All Learning Outcomes View Less All Alison courses are free to enrol, study, and complete. To successfully complete this Certificate course and become an Alison Graduate, you need to achieve 80% or higher in each course assessment.
Once you have completed this Certificate course, you have the option to acquire an official Certificate, which is a great way to share your achievement with the world.
Your Alison certificate is:
- Ideal for sharing with potential employers.
- Great for your CV, professional social media profiles, and job applications.
- An indication of your commitment to continuously learn, upskill, and achieve high results.
- An incentive for you to continue empowering yourself through lifelong learning.
Alison offers 2 types of Certificate for completed Certificate courses:
- Digital Certificate: a downloadable Certificate in PDF format immediately available to you when you complete your purchase.
- Physical Certificate: a physical version of your officially branded and security-marked Certificate
All Certificate are available to purchase through the Alison Shop. For more information on purchasing Alison Certificate, please visit our FAQs. If you decide not to purchase your Alison Certificate, you can still demonstrate your achievement by sharing your Learner Record or Learner Achievement Verification, both of which are accessible from your Account Settings.