Washington, Mar 23 (EFE).- The imposition of quotas to overcome the inequality of the sexes in newsrooms around the world emerged Wednesday at a meeting in Washington as one of the methods preferred by sector executives from more than 70 countries.
Directors of communications media firms from Spain, Peru, Argentina, Nicaragua, Uganda, Germany, Yemen and other countries this week have gathered in this capital to analyze the results of a global report showing that men hold the lion's share of power in the sector.
The report by the Washington-based International Women's Media Foundation released within the framework of the conference shows that men hold 73 percent of the top executive posts in media companies and that almost two-thirds of reporters are male.
The study, in which more than 500 companies in 59 countries participated, reveals significant differences by region, with much greater parity between men and women in leadership positions in the media in Europe than in Asia or Latin America.
With that in mind, BBC World News America's Katty Kay, who on Wednesday moderated a panel on the pending challenges for women in communications, insisted that "much road needs to be traveled" to give females more responsibility in the media.
With the aim of closing that gap, the executives will develop an action plan to push when they return to their countries.
The debate on the steps to adopt in this campaign got started Wednesday with Kay's panel discussion, which was participated in by Ines Pohl, the editor of the German newspaper Taz.
Pohl, the first woman to head a German national newspaper, was one of the main defenders of gender quotas.
"We have a strict quota for each section," Pohl said, going on to insist on the importance of having the female leaders be "visible" to inspire the younger generations.
Agencia Efe Director-General Lola Alvarez was of a similar opinion, saying: "If we wait for the inertia of social evolution to make the presence of women in the media ... equitable, it seems to me that we'll have to wait a long time."
But not all of the conference attendees were in agreement.
Silvia Miro Quesada, the head of journalistic services at Peru's El Comercio publishing group, disagreed with the plan.
"I don't like quotas either in the area of politics or in the professional area because I believe that one has to work to achieve goals in life," she said. "A person who aspires to a post has to have the necessary elements."
Despite the differences, there was general agreement that the rise of women into decision-making positions within the media is an obstacle course.
"Women not only have more cultural barriers but also some natural conditions, like having children," that can put the brakes on a professional career, said Cristiana Chamorro, the vice president of the board of directors for Nicaraguan daily La Prensa.
