Women in public positions in North Macedonia are easy targets of hate speech
Source: Global Voices
This article by Fjola Zlatku was first published in Albanian by Portalb.mk and translated into English by Meta.mk. An edited version is republished here under a content-sharing agreement between Global Voices and Metamorphosis Foundation.
Despite visible progress in the fight for women’s rights, increased representation of women in politics and greater attention to issues affecting women, the tendency to express contempt and insult women persists. More specifically, these attacks target women who are increasingly exposed to hate speech because of their profession, especially on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). In most cases, this kind of speech is used as a tool to undermine their dignity and social standing, according to Portalb.mk.
A study by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) revealed that in the first half of 2024, 3,380 comments with sexist language targeting women in politics were identified. These tend to peak during pre-election periods. The problem is further exacerbated by the inadequate regulation of social platforms, which often fail to effectively address ongoing violations against women in the public sector, as well as by the impunity enjoyed by perpetrators from the relevant authorities. This lack of accountability negatively affects both women who are targeted and broader efforts to promote respectful public discourse.
Read here the full article published by Global Voices on 20 December 2024.
Image by Global Voices
This article by Fjola Zlatku was first published in Albanian by Portalb.mk and translated into English by Meta.mk. An edited version is republished here under a content-sharing agreement between Global Voices and Metamorphosis Foundation.
Despite visible progress in the fight for women’s rights, increased representation of women in politics and greater attention to issues affecting women, the tendency to express contempt and insult women persists. More specifically, these attacks target women who are increasingly exposed to hate speech because of their profession, especially on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). In most cases, this kind of speech is used as a tool to undermine their dignity and social standing, according to Portalb.mk.
A study by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) revealed that in the first half of 2024, 3,380 comments with sexist language targeting women in politics were identified. These tend to peak during pre-election periods. The problem is further exacerbated by the inadequate regulation of social platforms, which often fail to effectively address ongoing violations against women in the public sector, as well as by the impunity enjoyed by perpetrators from the relevant authorities. This lack of accountability negatively affects both women who are targeted and broader efforts to promote respectful public discourse.
Read here the full article published by Global Voices on 20 December 2024.
Image by Global Voices