The Gender Equality Steering Group of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) chaired by Tinatin Berdzenishvili, First Deputy General Director of Georgian First Channel worked on a guideline “All Things Being Equal.”

The guideline answers questions about equality of employed female and male workers and shares with the successful experience which Georgian Public Broadcasters of various countries practice for upholding gender equality.

The guideline is already translated into Georgian language and is available at 1tv.ge. Representatives of 11 members of EBU worked on the report.

“Gender equality is a value we fully embody at the Georgian public service broadcaster. So when the EBU President Tony Hall asked me to chair the Gender Equality Steering Group, I was honoured to put my determination and engagement into supporting the EBU community. I live in a country where women have always played an important role in society and governance. Georgia’s history has been marked by the rule of King Tamar the Great. She was the first femaleking to govern Georgia in her own right, from 1184 to 1213, leading to the Georgian Golden Age.

Georgia is also among the first 20 countries that gave women the right to vote in 1918. But it is also a country where societal issues such as early or forced marriage, unemployment and abuse of women still exist. As the public broadcaster, we should never forget history and the power we have to shape society. We feel strongly about our responsibility to carry society in the right direction, and in that sense, we are investing considerably in content, formats and campaigns that will foster public dialogue in the area of gender equality. It is my personal belief that, in the future, women and men will be equally respected, valued and, most importantly, equally represented. It has been a pleasure to chair the EBU Gender Equality Steering Group. It is made up of remarkable, competent professionals who reflect the full diversity of the EBU’s membership.

This group has analysed the best gender-equality practices in place among public service broadcasters and identified actionable policies. I am confident that if implemented, the steps recommended by this group will make a significant difference to our workplaces, our audiences and to society. I hope this report will inspire all the Members in our EBU community to pursue gender equality, dismantle the stereotypes affecting women and fully unleash the potential in their organizations by building cultures that are inclusive and embrace new and fresh perspectives,” Tinatin Berdzenishvili says in the forewords of the guideline.