Despite significant changes in newsrooms and management boards, diversity in the media remains a persistent challenge. The exclusion of certain groups, particularly persons with disabilities, leads to missed opportunities for new narratives, fresh perspectives and untapped creativity.
Persons with disabilities remain a vast and underserved audience in the media landscape. As valuable sources, active participants and consumers of media, they are vital contributors to the media ecosystem 鈥 engaging with content, contributing to public debate, and driving revenue and growth.
The current status of the world requires media organizations to rethink and reprogramme their practices. Reclaiming their roles in society, particularly in public service and community media, is essential for rebuilding credibility and maintaining relevance with audiences. This becomes even more crucial in light of the growing impact of digital and AI-driven technologies.
Implementing information and web accessibility standards in content production not only facilitates access for users relying on assistive technologies, but also enhances the quality of content for all audiences. Features such as subtitling, sign language interpretation and audio descriptions benefit everyone, while driving increased engagement and revenue by expanding the accessibility and reach of media content.
Launched on the eve of the Paris Paralympic Games in 2024, 鲍狈贰厂颁翱鈥檚 and on Disability Equality in the Media provide a set of actionable recommendations for media executives, editors, reporters, content producers, designers, technical staff, and human resource managers.
These resources outline three key strategies to engage new audiences in the media:鈥
- adopt equitable editorial policies and programming,鈥where storytelling is based on a human rights approach driven by human dignity, diversity and respect;
- apply information and web鈥痑ccessibility standards to produce and disseminate accessible content,鈥痶o meet legal requirements and explore built-in technological advances; and
- integrate inclusive management practices, particularly for media professionals with disabilities, to create decent working conditions that enhance creativity, innovation, quality of service and corporate responsibility.
On 3 December, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, UNESCO reaffirms its commitment to promoting disability equality in the media. These initiatives serve as a catalyst for empowerment, enabling persons with disabilities to take leadership positions in the media industry, and ensuring their representation as valued contributors and change-makers in society. By promoting accessible media content, it is possible to create an inclusive space where persons with disabilities can lead, contribute and shape narratives, thus fully participating in societal transformation.
In alignment with UN Secretary-General Ant贸nio Guterres' ("In every society, persons with disabilities are architects of change and peace. They are also leaders"), UNESCO emphasizes the leadership role of persons with disabilities in addressing global challenges. 鲍狈贰厂颁翱鈥檚 work continues to empower persons with disabilities to shape the future in all areas of its work, including through the development of inclusive and diverse media landscape.
The offers comprehensive guidance on inclusive editorial content, accessible media production and inclusive management practices, tailored to media professionals at all levels. In parallel, the 鈥 hosted by disability rights advocate Sophie Morgan 鈥 presents the same core content in an accessible video format, including international sign language interpretation, helping to expand the reach of the guidelines worldwide.
In 2024, UNESCO organized two workshops for media professionals in Ghana and Ukraine to promote disability equality in the media. In May 2024, on the occasion of the 3rd African Media Convention in Accra, UNESCO trained executives and senior editors from some twenty media outlets on promoting disability equality and enhancing diversity in the African media. Strategies were explored to ensure that media content reflects the realities and rights of persons with disabilities across the continent.
In December 2024, this work will continue in Senegal. The UNESCO Office in Dakar will bring together the media and representatives of organizations of persons with disabilities to discuss how the Senegalese media can improve coverage, produce more accessible content and improve management practices.
In October 2024, on the eve of Donbas Media Forum, UNESCO launched its to support Ukraine鈥檚 media sector, focusing on how media can assist in including persons with disabilities in the country's recovery and rebuilding process after conflict. At Kyiv Media Hub, 17 media outlets from central and frontline media explored principles of鈥痙iversity, equality and inclusion in media which are an essential part of Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction process, ensuring social justice and equal participation for all citizens, especially for veterans, media professionals with disabilities and those affected by war.鈥疘t also raised awareness of media professionals on how upholding human rights standards is essential not only for social justice but also for Ukraine's alignment with international normative instruments such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
UNESCO Practical Manual on Disability Equality in the Media is currently being translated into Arabic, French, Spanish and Mongolian, to reach a broader audience in early 2025.
To learn more about UNESCO work on Disability Equality in the Media, access the dedicated webpage.
Let's mark together the 3rd of December, International Day of Persons with Disabilities.鈥
Practical Manual
