Women Remain Underrepresented in Global News Coverage

The latest Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) report shows that women continue to be significantly underrepresented in news coverage worldwide. Despite making up half of the global population, women were featured as only 26% of news subjects in 2025, marking a modest 1 percent increase since the last report in 2020 and a 9 percent rise over 30 years of monitoring. Coverage on dedicated news websites is slightly higher at 29%, but the disparity remains stark.

Thirty years after the Beijing Platform for Action in 1995 called for gender equality, the GMMP findings reveal that women’s voices, perspectives, and experiences remain marginal in shaping global narratives. Across print, broadcast, and online media, men continue to dominate news stories, reinforcing long-standing gender biases and limiting the visibility of women in public discourse.

The report highlights that despite incremental progress, the pace of change is slow, suggesting structural and cultural barriers in newsrooms and media practices persist. Women’s perspectives, expertise, and achievements are still often overlooked or sidelined, and stories about women tend to focus disproportionately on issues like family, health, or personal life rather than leadership, politics, or business.

These findings serve as a critical reminder of the ongoing need for gender-sensitive reporting, inclusive editorial policies, and efforts to amplify women’s representation in media globally. Addressing these gaps is essential not only for fair and balanced journalism but also for empowering women and ensuring their full participation in shaping societal narratives.