Codes of conduct for media in elections provide journalists and media houses with key principles and guidelines for the coverage of the electoral process. In some cases, they include provisions on gender equality, requiring journalists and media professionals to abandon gender stereotypes and to promote gender-sensitive reporting, accounting for the needs and interests of both men and women.

Example: International IDEA’s proposed code of conduct on media and elections recognizes the role of media as a platform for voter education, establishing that “voter education shall include programmes in minority languages and programmes targeted for groups that traditionally may have been excluded from the political process, such as women and people with disabilities.” A similar provision was also integrated in the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia’s Code of Conduct for the Reporting of Elections[1] (2010), requiring every media to provide inclusive voter education.

Example: In different countries, a number of codes of conduct for media in elections forbid violence incitement or hate speech based on ethnicity, gender, political ideas or religious beliefs, among other conditions. This is the case of Lesotho and Zambia’s codes of conduct, adopted by their respective EMBs, the Independent Electoral Commission of Lesotho[2] and the Electoral Commission of Zambia[3]. In Tanzania, the Media Code of Conduct for Election Reporting[4], adopted in 2010 by a group of editors gathering in a workshop, established that “When reporting the opinions of those who do advocate discrimination or violence on any grounds, including race, gender, language, religion, political or other opinions, and national or social origins, journalists should do the utmost to put such views in a clear context and to report the opinions of those against whom such sentiments are directed.”

Example: In Haiti, the Code of Ethics for Media and Journalists establishes that “The media and journalists must show a particular sensitivity regarding the problem of gender stereotypes. Medias and journalists make sure they reflect the intellectual and emotional equality of men and women. They must encourage women’s participation in the media, including management positions”. Although this code of conduct is not only restricted to electoral coverage, it can also be used by journalists and media professionals when reporting on elections. [5]

For more information on this issue, please see the section on “Codes of Conduct for Media in Elections” in the topic area on Media and Elections.