Gender disinformation refers to false or misleading content that targets a person's gender, shaping distorted perceptions and biased attitudes. How is such information spread in Armenia, and what role does business play in its prevention?
The OxYGen Foundation, within the framework of the project "Combating Gender Disinformation: Transforming the Narrative," conducted a monitoring of 12 Armenian media outlets, including radio, online platforms, and television. The study aimed to identify the most frequently disseminated gender-related narratives, the thematic context in which they are used, and the main sources of their distribution.
Gender Disinformation and the Role of Media
Human rights advocate Zara Hovhannisyan, presenting a specific case of gender disinformation, emphasized the responsibility of the media. She cited an instance of domestic violence where a woman left her husband due to psychological and economic abuse but was unable to take her child with her.
"The child remained with the father and was so deprived of attention that he refused to go to school," Hovhannisyan recounted.
According to the activist, the child spent seven months in a "hostage-like situation"— neglected, malnourished, and deprived of the right to education, while state institutions failed to respond to the mother’s appeals. Despite this, she continued to cover rent and utility expenses.
Only after numerous appeals, "including a letter to the Prime Minister," was the child finally removed with the assistance of a regional administration representative and placed in a women's support center shelter. There, it was discovered that the child suffered from severe nutritional issues:
"He consumed only carbonated drinks and chips," which led to a hospitalization due to intestinal obstruction. "The child was essentially subjected to inhumane treatment," Hovhannisyan noted, adding that the father faced no legal consequences, despite keeping the child out of school for 10 months.
The situation worsened when a local media outlet covered the case in a one-sided manner, presenting only the father's perspective and portraying the mother as an "abuser." Hovhannisyan pointed out that "media outlets today strive for sensationalism," and even after expert evaluations, the outlet refused to remove the video, issue a retraction, or provide additional context.
"Hearing this slander, society joined in the harassment," Hovhannisyan stated, adding that ultimately, the woman, who was a teacher with a stable job, decided to move to Russia with her child.
"She took this step to prevent the child from becoming a target and to keep his personal story private," the activist concluded, highlighting the media's responsibility in covering gender-sensitive issues.
Expectations from Businesses
In combating this phenomenon, businesses are also expected to take action—at the very least, by not supporting platforms that spread such content and ensuring that unreliable gender-related information does not appear alongside their advertisements. Human rights advocates stress that this should be part of corporate social responsibility.
Silva Mesropyan, Chairperson of the NGO "Innovative Women's Entrepreneurship" and business consultant, emphasizes the importance of reviewing media publications before giving interviews. She advises businesses to research the media platform’s reporting style in advance to avoid negative repercussions.
Ani Kojoyan, a lecturer at Yerevan State University and a specialist in gender studies and women’s rights, believes that business circles can play a key role in preventing gender disinformation by shaping public perceptions. Considering corporate social responsibility, she suggests that companies could support investigative journalism, media platforms, and fact-checking initiatives to detect and counter gender disinformation.
According to OxYGen Foundation research, out of 92,000 publications in Armenian media, 332 cases of gender disinformation were recorded. To combat this issue, the foundation proposes engaging major advertising companies to increase their social responsibility within the media landscape.
Despite large companies having dedicated media strategy teams, challenges persist. OxYGen representatives believe that effective solutions require long-term efforts. They aim to make research findings more applicable to businesses, conduct awareness campaigns, and collaborate with the business community.
Regarding responses to gender disinformation, Ani Kojoyan highlights the need for businesses to establish mechanisms to support employees who become targets of disinformation:
"This support can be psychological or legal, but it is also crucial to create an environment where individuals do not become targets and are not re-victimized," Kojoyan stated.
