In the Balance is a resource center for journalists, to help them make their reporting more inclusive of women’s perspectives and voices, and more representative of the world we live in by applying a gender-lens approach.

Just like a lens can help the eye see better, a “gender lens” allows us to consider the powers at play that have to do with gender in any given situation. Applied to journalism, this means taking into account how gender affects people and events at all stages of producing a news story, to ensure a fuller, more nuanced picture, and richer, more informative news where the audience feels included.

It seems like the most obvious step to take, but we all know it can be tough to find new, credible sources. Luckily, there is a growing number of databases indexing women experts. We’ve put together a list of some of those, as well as a list of helpful grassroots initiatives and organizations for you. Maybe it’ll spark some ideas, and help save you some time.

Oftentimes, research is reported on for a main finding that is deemed newsworthy at one time. But nested in reports and studies are details and bits of information that can spark an idea for a story. Want to start digging? We have a selection for you on a variety of topics to get you started exploring how gender intesects with all beats.

Many journalists all over the world have been doing this work for years. Yet, gender-sensitive journalism remains underrecognized and sometimes, even, misunderstood. To help you get a more concrete sense of what it means to apply the gender lens throughout different stages of the journalistic process, we compiled some advice from renowned reporters and editors.

Untold Stories: Experts’ POVs> View all articles

Lisa Falco

Lisa Falco on the Gender Data Gap, Health, and AI Bias

Untold stories

The Swiss data scientist has been working on healthcare technology for a decade and a half. In this discussion with her, we covered the basics — from what data actually is to why it’s so important — before getting into the specifics of the gender data gap in medicine and in tech.

Monica McWilliams

Monica McWilliams on Women Contributing to Peace in Northern Ireland and Beyond

Untold stories

The academic and former peace negotiator talks about her journey navigating politics and sexism, what has evolved in how women are viewed during conflicts, and what lessons we can draw from the past.

Hazel Malapit

Hazel Malapit on the Gender-Climate-Food Security Nexus

Untold stories

The International Food Policy Research Institute researcher tells us about why gender equality matters for food security, the need for collecting the “right data,” and her COP28 expectations.

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Peer-to-Peer: Hear from experienced journalists> Access all episodes

She is a news anchor at France 24 and the host and creator of “The 51 Percent”. In a new episode of “Peer-to-Peer”, Annette Young shares her views on women’s representation in conflict-related stories.

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The editor-in-chief of independent Afghan news outlet Zan Times tells us about how the project started in 2022 and how it operates today, with women journalists reporting on the field, under the Taliban rule.

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The award-winning science journalist and author tells about the steps he’s taken to make his stories more inclusive, and how that fundamentally changed his reporting over the past eight years. He also shares some of what he has learned telling the stories of women amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Gender in the News: Analyses & Examples> View all articles

Hot Off the Press: Women & Climate Edition

In the Newsroom

Here’s a selection of pieces that caught our attention in relation to “women and climate,” our focus theme in November 2022.

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Hot Off the Press: The Gender Data Gap

In the Newsroom

Here’s a selection of pieces that caught our attention in relation to the “gender data gap,” our focus theme in February 2023.

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Pamela Morinière

Pamela Morinière on the IFJ’s Response to Sexism in Political News

In the Newsroom

The International Federation of Journalists’ gender expert tells us about the specifics of their new project “Rewriting the story: Gender, media and politics,” what sexist question a famous German politician was asked that shocked her the most, and how she sees the future of gender equality in the news.

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Newsletter: The gender lens in action, one theme at a time> View all newsletters

Not to be all doom and gloom, but the next pandemic might be right around the corner, experts warn – it’s “inevitable.” We’ve heard of Disease X in the last few months, and although no clear global threat has been identified for now (despite the current worldwide cholera outbreaks), the world isn’t equipped to face another global pandemic quite yet.

It’s tough when, in the wake of an election where populism triumphs, we’re reminded how big of a role and responsibility journalism holds in what happens in society. We might avoid thinking about it on the daily or even somehow momentarily forget, but when the results of a ballot are confirmed, we have to face the facts: The news industry played a part in this outcome.

2024 is an election year in over 80 countries. Nearly half the global population has already voted or is expected to in the next eight months. Whether local, national, or international, these ballots are connected to the broader world context. While the top concerns for potential electors seem to be inflation, poverty, and social inequality, many politicians have chosen to put migration (once again) on their list of priorities when campaigning.


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Data & Reports: Follow the thread> View all articles

Women & Climate: Six Hard-Hitting Figures

Data & Studies

Climate change exacerbates existing inequalities. Here are some key numbers that show some of the ways it affects women. For contrast, we also take a look at a couple of figures of how (under-)represented women are at leadership roles.

Women’s Health in Numbers: It Isn’t Just About Reproduction

Data & Studies

Finding data reflecting women’s and girls’ reality is tricky, especially when it’s about a field that has a long history of considering men’s and boys’ experiences as the default human experience. Still, we tried.

Economy in the News: Why Is It a Man’s World?

Data & Studies

Want to dig deeper for good data and stories? Here’s are three trustworthy sources around gender in business news.


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