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Zlatibor Region Women Enhance Media Literacy to Recognize Manipulative Content

We consider it essential for citizens, especially women, to better understand media content and the intentions behind messages in order to protect themselves from media manipulation. In Serbia, the portrayal of women in media often is biased, like focusing on the female body in reporting, reporting on the style of dressing of female politicians instead of the successes they achieve, sensationalism when we talk about cases of violence against women, insufficient visibility of Roma women, women in the countryside, women with disabilities, which speaks to the fact that the media world is also cruel to women. To help women (recognized as a vulnerable group by numerous international and national documents) avoid the negative impacts of media manipulation on their confidence, self-esteem, and mental health, we believe media literacy is crucial.

The project brought together 22 women from across Serbia. Though initially focused on the Zlatibor region, it attracted participants from Belgrade and beyond. A key partner in this project activity was the Novi Sad School of Journalism, engaged as an expert to develop the agenda and materials for a two-day workshop. Through this workhshop, participants gained valuable insights into recognizing manipulative and discriminatory content in media, empowering them with skills essential for navigating today’s media landscape.

The seminar gathered 22 women from various cities across Serbia, enhancing their knowledge and skills in media literacy, which they will now share within their own communities. Notably, most participants mentioned this was their first opportunity to attend a training focused on women’s media literacy—a topic they found compelling, especially because it provided detailed insights from experts on recognizing everyday media manipulation. The seminar also fostered valuable networking among women from different NGOs, sparking collaborative project ideas, joint activity planning, and an exchange of best practices across cities.

In today’s fast-paced world, misinformation and unverified content increasingly flood media and social networks. With limited time to fact-check, many people accept this information as truth, though much of it lacks accuracy, relevance, and quality. This underscores the need for media literacy, equipping individuals to critically assess information and protect themselves against manipulation in the digital age.