The 2nd Central Asian International Conference of Women Media Professionals, “Regional Solidarity, Digital Security, and an Inclusive Future of Journalism,” is taking place in Tashkent. The event brought together over 100 journalists, editors, media managers, bloggers, and experts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The two-day program focused on the challenges women in the region’s media face daily: digital security, protection from online harassment, countering disinformation and deepfakes, overcoming gender barriers in media management, and combating burnout.
At the forum, participants will discuss the development strategy for the regional Coalition of Women Journalists for 2026-2029, the creation of mutual assistance mechanisms, and the development of a unified regional guide to gender-sensitive journalism.
A key component of the conference agenda was the audiovisual performance “Echo: The Power of Invisible Voices,” which combined digital art and documentary theater. Media leaders from five countries delivered a manifesto of professional dignity in their native languages, demonstrating the power of regional solidarity. The program will conclude with the Women Media Awards Central Asia ceremony, designed to recognize women’s contribution to the development of the Central Asian media sphere.
The conference is organized by the Modern Journalism Development Center of Uzbekistan (MJDC) with the support of the National Coalition of Women Journalists of Tajikistan, the Center for Media Content Production under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Public Fund for the Development and Support of National Mass Media, as well as key international organizations and diplomatic missions, including the EU, OSCE, UNESCO, and the Embassy of Switzerland.
The initiative’s development builds on the Memorandum on the Establishment of the Coalition of Women Journalists of Central Asia, adopted in Dushanbe in May 2024, and aims to strengthen ongoing professional cooperation in the region.
