Beijing +30: Journalism as a Transformative Power and Tool for Global Justice
Three decades ago, more than 30,000 women leaders gathered at the historic Beijing Conference to chart a global roadmap toward gender equality. Among its most transformative chapters, Chapter J —“Women and the Media”— brought forth an uncomfortable truth: the media are not neutral. They are either reproducers or challengers of power.
Thirty years later, in La Paz, Bolivia, a national forum brought us together to revisit that legacy. Journalists, communicators, activists, and academics debated the role of media in building (and deconstructing) social imaginaries. We did so by recognizing progress, but also by denouncing setbacks and institutional resistance.
Between Progress and Setbacks: What the Data Shows
Despite the growth of gender-focused journalism, structural challenges persist. Men still report 70% of the news, and only 24% of people featured in the news are women—most portrayed as victims or in traditional roles (GMMP, 2020).
According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2023), one in three women in Latin America has experienced physical or sexual violence by a partner, and 60% of women globally continue to face some form of gender-based violence. These figures are not just social alerts—they are a direct call for accountability in the media.
Media, Bodies, and Autonomy: A View from Chapter J
Chapter J of the Beijing Platform for Action demanded not only women’s representation in the media, but their narrative empowerment. Today, that demand includes guaranteeing bodily autonomy as a media right: deciding how the female body is represented, how violence is reported, and how resistance is made visible.
Forum statistics revealed that only 16% of leadership positions in Bolivian media are held by women, and gender-focused content remains sporadic and often confined to commemorative dates.
Trailblazing Leadership
Panelists like Carmen Beatriz Ruiz, Fabiola Calvo, Zulema Alanes, and Nicole Laura—moderated by transformational journalist @Patricia Flores—shared their experiences and have been pioneers in building gender-focused journalism in Bolivia. Their work has allowed new generations to enjoy hard-won rights and understand the importance of continuing the fight.
As Nidya Pesántez, UN Women Country Representative in Bolivia, emphasized: “Women’s rights are not granted—they are constantly built.” And that construction requires commitment, memory, action, and persistence.
Bodily Autonomy and Life Planning: What the Numbers Show
The contributions of these women leaders are reflected in concrete achievements. According to the 2023 Demographic and Health Survey (EDSA), led by Bolivia’s National Statistics Institute (INE) with technical support from UNFPA Bolivia, the survey was conducted using international methodological standards, scientific rigor, and data transparency. This was made possible thanks to the leadership of Country Representative Pablo Salazar Canelos and the committed national team at UNFPA Bolivia.
Key findings include a decline in the adolescent fertility rate among girls aged 15 to 19, from 84 births per 1,000 in 1998 to 48 in 2023. In urban areas, the figure dropped to 35, while in rural zones it remains at 88.
Additionally, the percentage of adolescents aged 15 to 19 who have experienced at least one pregnancy decreased from 18% to 14% between 2018 and 2023. These results reflect progress in bodily autonomy and the ability to plan life trajectories—driven by policies in sexual and reproductive health, access to education, and timely information.
UN Women’s role in Bolivia is also recognized, under the leadership of @Nidya Pesántez and her national team. Their work in organizing strategic spaces like the Beijing +30 forum and their sustained efforts to promote real and structural transformation in women’s rights has been crucial in mobilizing agendas, connecting stakeholders, and positioning gender equality as a cross-cutting development priority.
Transformative Communication: From the Classroom to the Newsroom
As Carmen Beatriz Ruiz and Fabiola Calvo expressed, producing content is not enough—we must build symbolic power. This means training young people in media literacy with an intersectional lens and creating bridges between social research and journalism.
The forum also showcased local experiences breaking dominant narratives. Independent outlets like La Brava and especially Las Malmandadas—a powerful initiative led by journalist Nicole Laura—demonstrate that feminist, innovative, digital journalism with narrative autonomy and political commitment is possible.
Nicole, part of a new generation of transformational journalists, brought a critical and profound perspective on the challenges facing youth. Her activism and voice are rooted in the tireless struggle of her mother, which inspired her to become a journalist—not to report from neutrality, but to transform realities, confront power, and shape the future by challenging dominant narratives, breaking historical silences, and telling the present through voices that have long been marginalized.
Voices That Challenge: From Diagnosis to Action
This forum was not just another commemorative event. It was a collective call to those of us who see journalism, communication, and social advocacy as tools for transformation. Beijing +30 reminded us that it is not enough to report on what happens—we must disrupt, denounce, and act.
From my participation, I reaffirmed a conviction I’ve held for more than two decades: gender-focused journalism and communication for development are not optional—they are political acts of social justice. I have worked from many trenches in Latin America and the Caribbean—international cooperation, civil society, the private sector, and multilateral organizations—crafting strategies that place human rights, gender equity, youth, and sustainability at the core of the agenda.
My stance has always been clear: to use narrative as a tool for change, to spotlight uncomfortable truths, and to challenge the silent pacts that perpetuate inequality. This vision is embodied in Nexus for Social Advancement, the social enterprise I founded, through which we build bridges across sectors, activate global alliances, and train new generations to lead development with purpose and sustainability.
Along the way, I’ve had the fortune to walk with women like Patricia Flores, Rigliana Portugal, and @Ximena Galarza—tireless feminists whose voices not only provoke but call us to act boldly. Their leadership through journalism exemplifies what it means to turn microphones into tools for justice.
I am deeply grateful to every woman who, from different spaces and struggles, has contributed to making sure that not only my generation enjoys rights to voice, vote, and leadership, but also my daughters and future generations. Every step, every shout, every act of resistance brought us here. Not recognizing that is a form of erasure.
And yes, saying “I’m not a feminist but I believe in equality” is an act of political lukewarmness. It is regression. It is self-sabotage. It denies that feminism was the vehicle that allowed us to be here. Everything else is neutrality disguised as comfort—and neutrality in the face of injustice only benefits the oppressor.
From Awareness “In Itself” to Awareness “For Itself”
Feminism in media must move from passive recognition to transformative action. As discussed at the forum: it is not enough to be aware of inequalities—we must turn that awareness into tools for change.
This includes challenging cultural pacts, demanding public care policies, ensuring fair labor conditions for women journalists, and confronting digital violence, which has tripled in the past decade according to UNESCO (2023).
Feminist Journalism: Between Urgency and Resistance
Feminist journalism is not a trend. It is an ethical and political response to growing misogynist rhetoric, misinformation, and silencing. Free journalism also means freedom to tell stories by women, with women, and for women.
Beijing +30 was not just a commemoration—it was an alert and a call to action. Because resisting is not enough.
We must challenge meaning. And tell the story in the first person.
I invite you to go deeper. Because transformation requires understanding. Explore articles, studies, and voices that, like this one, advocate for journalism with purpose, grounded in data, and driven by civic power.
Resources:
- UNESCO (2025) – Global Consultation on Beijing+30: Media and Gender
- CSW69 Shadow Report – Women and the Media (Kelly Media Report, 2025)
- UNESCO (2024) – “Gender Equality in the Digital Age” (Beijing+30)
- GAMAG (2025) – Beijing+30 and the Media: Upholding Commitments
- UNESCAP (2024) – Ministerial Review of Beijing+30 in Asia-Pacific
https://www.uswomenscaucus.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Kelly-Media.pdf
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000391528
https://gamag.net/2025/03/03/beijing-30-upholding-commitments-on-media
https://www.unescap.org/events/2024/asia-pacific-ministerial-conference-beijing30-review