RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL AND OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES, MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL

of 5 October 1995

on the image of women and men portrayed in advertising and the media

(95/C 296/06)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES, MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL,

Whereas the Council resolution of 12 July 1982 on the promotion of equal opportunities for women (1) confirms the need to take steps to increase public awareness and disseminate information to support the change in attitudes to sharing occupational, family and social responsibilities;

Whereas the European Parliament resolution of 14 October 1987 on the depiction and position of women in the media (2) recommends the media, advertising agencies, governments and socio-political groups to implement practical measures to encourage the promotion of women, guarantee equal opportunities and define the role played by women in professional, political and social life;

Whereas Council Directive 89/552/EEC of 3 October 1989 on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the pursuit of television broadcasting activities (3) stipulates that television advertising should not jeopardize respect for human dignity or include any discrimination on grounds of sex;

Whereas the Commission, in its third medium-term action programme on equal opportunities for women and men (1991 to 1995), has defined actions to promote a positive image of women, emphasizing in particular the promotion of a better representation of women in the media industry as well as in the institutional and professional environment of media organizations, the development of innovatory programmes which challenge traditional images and the drawing up of recommendations concerning the representation of women in the media industry;

Whereas the Council, in its resolution of 21 May 1991 on the third medium-term Community action programme on equal opportunities for women and men (1991 to 1995) (4), invited the Member States to continue to encourage an improvement in the participation of women at all levels in the media sector and to develop innovatory programmes which present a full, realistic picture of women in society;

Whereas the Council, in its resolution of 27 March 1995 on the balanced participation of men and women in decision-making (5), invited Member States to promote the balanced participation of women and men in decision-making as a priority objective in the context of their respective practices regarding equal opportunities for women and men;

Whereas the European Council, at its meetings in Essen (9 and 10 December 1994) and Cannes (26 and 27 June 1995), stressed that questions concerning equal opportunities for women and men are among those that will continue to constitute the most important tasks of the European Union and its Member States;

Whereas the European Conference of Women Ministers of the Member States of the Council of Europe (Brussels, 7 March 1994) declared its wish to achieve genuine equality between men and women in the Europe of tomorrow, came out in favour of promoting an image of women and men that was positive and free of prejudices or stereotypes and insisted on the need to implement all possible measures, e. g. a code of ethics, to prevent discrimination against women;

Whereas advertising and the media could play a part in changing attitudes in society by reflecting in particular the diversity of the roles played by both women and men in public and private life; whereas the roles of women in public life are represented less than those of men; whereas the roles of men in private life are represented much less often than those of women;

Whereas this resolution does not affect national respective constitutional rules or approaches and practices;

Whereas the Member States and/or the respective competent bodies must take into account the differences between advertising - even that in the media - and the media themselves as a forum for information and debate,

I. CONFIRM:

1. their attachment to the principle of freedom of expression and to the principle of freedom of the press and other means of communication;

2. that sexual stereotyping in advertising and the media is one of the factors in inequality which influence attitudes towards equality between women and men; that this highlights the importance of promoting equality in all areas of social life;

3. that advertising and the media can play an important part in changing attitudes in society by reflecting the diversity of the roles and potential of women and men, their participation in all aspects of social life, as well as a more balanced sharing of family, occupational and social responsibilities between women and men;

4. that advertising and the media should not undermine respect for human dignity nor contain discrimination on grounds of sex;

II. CALL ON the Member States and/or the respective competent bodies, in compliance with their national constitutional rules and/or approaches and practices to:

1. promote a diversified and realistic picture of the skills and potential of women and men in society;

2. take action aimed at disseminating this image by implementing measures with a view to:

2.1. providing for appropriate measures to ensure respect for human dignity and an absence of discrimination on grounds of sex;

2.2. implementing and/or encouraging regular information and awareness campaigns to promote awareness in advertising agencies, the media and the public so that they can identify material which is discriminatory on grounds of sex and is conveyed by advertising and the media;

2.3. supporting and/or promoting fora for discussion, consultation, monitoring - where appropriate within a framework of voluntary self-regulation - and follow-up with regard to material which is discriminatory on grounds of sex and is conveyed by advertising and the media;

2.4. supporting studies and initiatives which increase awareness in advertising agencies and the media of equality of opportunity and a more balanced sharing of responsibilities, in particular in public, political, economic, professional, social and family life;

2.5. placing special importance on values connected with equality of opportunity in all its forms and at all levels of education and training, particularly training for professions in advertising and the media;

2.6. promoting the balanced participation of women and men in production bodies, administrative bodies and decision-making posts;

2.7. encouraging advertising agencies and the media to promote:

(a) the study, creation and formulation of new ideas to reflect the diversity of the roles of women and men;

(b) recognition of the negative effects which stereotypes based on sex may have on the physical and mental health of the public in general and of young people in particular;

(c) the development and implementation of voluntary self-regulatory codes;

III. CALL ON the Commission to:

1. take account of this resolution, in particular when implementing its action programmes for equal opportunities for women and men;

2. establish and/or strengthen contacts with the bodies and organizations, at European level, specialized in the field of advertising and the media, and with the social partners.

(1) OJ No C 186, 21. 7. 1982, p. 3.

(2) OJ No C 305, 16. 11. 1987, p. 66.

(3) OJ No L 298, 17. 10. 1989, p. 23.

(4) OJ No C 142, 31. 5. 1991, p. 1.

(5) OJ No C 168, 4. 7. 1995, p. 3.