The Koç Group, an investment holding company from Turkey, developed this guide to help transform workplaces and advance gender equality through effective communication. Communications professionals can use the guide as a resource to overcome gender stereotypes in marketing, communications, and brand management.

Gender-sensitive communications requires questioning gender stereotypes and enables mainstreaming gender equality. Gender-sensitive communications can be defined as such:

• Inclusive use of language and visuals
• Positioning of men and women so that they are equally represented, have equal access to resources and opportunities, enjoy balanced roles and have equal share in decisionmaking

Consider the following elements for gender-sensitive communications:

• Who?: Question related to representation

Assess: the ratio of men to women; the age of all individuals being represented; the physical appearance and clothing of men and women in visual materials; and, how their roles are being portrayed

• What?: Question related to the distribution of resources

Assess: who uses the time and for how long; who is pictured in what place; who owns the resources and earns the money; who uses public domain spaces and for how long; who receives what information; who is responsible for what; and, who makes the decisions and implements them

• Why?: Question related to elements preventing equality

Assess: who owns what and why; why objects or services meet the needs of only men or women; why we assign resources and roles to only one gender; and, why does the slogan address only one gender

• How?: Question related to determining new course forward to advancing gender-sensitivity

Assess: How does my approach ensure gender equality; is a new framework possible that better ensures gender equality; and, can I change my approach