As part of the National Conference “Women at the Forefront: Strengthening Inclusive Media in Albania,” SCiDEV, in partnership with Albanian Women in Audiovisual (AWA), welcomed to Tirana one of the world’s most influential voices in gender-sensitive journalism: Annette Young.
Young, an award-winning journalist and news presenter at France 24, is internationally recognized as the host of The 51 Percent, a programme that for more than a decade has highlighted the stories of women driving social change around the world.
“It is our job to make the invisible visible,” says Young, explaining that through her work she seeks to challenge the stereotypes and assumptions we all hold about the role of women in society.
The 51 Percent has been recognized as a programme that has reshaped global conversations about women. At its core, the programme creates a platform for women and girls whose voices have historically been overlooked, despite the fact that they represent more than half of the world’s population—as the programme’s title suggests.
Since its launch in 2013, The 51 Percent has remained the only programme of its kind on a global news network and has inspired similar editions on France 24’s Arabic and Spanish channels. Through the programme, Young has travelled across the world, reporting powerful stories on gender equality, women’s rights, and social issues that often remain invisible.
Driven by a commitment to empower women and girls beyond her native Australia, Young’s work has contributed to advancing women’s voices across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Her achievements extend well beyond The 51 Percent. In 2015, UN Women named her among the 20 most inspiring voices for women in the media. In 2018, she received the Ricardo Ortega Gold Medal for Television Journalism, and in 2023 she was honoured with the Game Changer Award at the Global Australian Awards for her outstanding contribution to gender journalism.
Why Now? Why Albania?
The masterclass took place at a pivotal moment for the Albanian media landscape.
The Monitoring Report on Hate Speech and Discriminatory Discourse in Albania covering the period January 2024 – June 2025, produced by Albanian Women in Audiovisual (AWA) within the Reporting Diversity Network (RDN) project, revealed concerning findings regarding the media environment and the representation of women.
The report found that 40.6% of all monitored hate speech and discrimination incidents targeted women and girls, a pattern that has remained consistent over recent years.
“This discourse manifests itself through sensationalism, objectification, and sexist rhetoric, which are produced or amplified by the media,” the report states, noting that entertainment is often prioritised over ethical and sensitive reporting, in violation of the Code of Ethics for Journalists.
Against this backdrop, Annette Young’s masterclass offered practical tools for addressing these challenges by sharing internationally recognised approaches that can be adapted to the Albanian media context.
Drawing on more than 30 years of international journalism experience, Young guided participants through practical exercises on gender-sensitive storytelling, audience engagement, and techniques for producing journalism that is both inclusive and impactful.
Participation Details
- Date: 2 December 2025
- Time: 13:30–15:00
- Venue: Amantia Hall, Marriott Hotel, Tirana
Application form: https://forms.office.com/e/t1Q9UdtQjj
This activity was organised within the framework of the “Breaking the Moulds – Shaping the Future” project, with the support of the European Union.