The Role of Social Marketing in Addressing Gender Issues in The Kurdistan Region (Media of women’s Institutions and Organizations For Example)

Abstract

This research provides ways to link gender issues with social marketing by institutions and organisations specialised in women's issues in the Kurdistan Region.

The main issue of the study is this: to what extent has social marketing of gender issues in women's institutions and organisations have been affective, and whether they have relied on modern means and methods to advance the issue.

To achieve the objectives of the study, I have relied on content analysis method, in-depth interviews to collect data, and analyse social marketing activities of some women organisations in Kurdistan.

The most important conclusion reached by the research is that the number of organisations working in the field of gender is not substantial, partly due to lack of understanding and knowledge of gender issues. The other part is related to the policy direction: their work is defined by their donors without their control. In addition, their work policy is unclear, the social marketing campaigns are mostly orientated towards gender equality and legal awareness, and the position of women in the decision-making.

The social marketing methods of these women organisations are more conventional and less modern, which affects the message and content of social advertising. Furthermore, most of them are centred in the of big cities, depriving people of towns and districts.

This research is divided into several parts, discussing the concept and history of social marketing and its importance in social change, as well as presenting the concept and history of the separation between gender and sex. It also addresses the emergence of Feminism movement in the world and in Kurdistan, and how women organisations address the issue.

In the last part of the study, in-depth interviews with experts in the field of media and gender are presented to address several essential questions, including but not limited to, the role of women's institutions and organizations in their attention to gender issues through various media tools.

At the end of the study, the results and recommendations are presented.

Key Words: Role, Social Marketing, Attention, Gender Issues, Women's Institutions and Organization