The case of Imane Khelif: How women athletes are always on trial

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif won Olympic gold amid media scrutiny that overshadowed her athletic achievements, in a global moral panic over whether she was truly a woman. Sensationalist media reporting and online abuse that went viral globally was led by sexism, transphobia and racism, and fueled by gender disinformation. In Serbian media, headlines and narratives …

Weaponising Fear: How Disinformation Exploits ‘Child Protection’ to Undermine Trans Rights in North Macedonia 

In North Macedonia, trans women remain a relatively rare and marginalised group, with limited visibility and representation in public life. However, this has not stopped anti-gender movements and conservative groups from exploiting the issue, often using parents and children to stir controversy and undermine trans rights in the country.   Disinformation often revolves around the theme …

The silent power of words: Unraveling Gender Disinformation in Albanian Media

Gender disinformation offers a vital lens through which we can better understand the intricate ways in which media perpetuates inequality and reinforces imbalances of power. Alfred Peza’s resignation from Albanian Public Radio Television (RTSH) has exposed profound challenges in media representation and journalistic ethics. What initially appeared to be a routine administrative transition quickly became …

Monthly Monitoring Highlights October: Ethnic division and sexism alongside unprofessional media reporting in the Western Balkans

During October, the RDN monitoring team detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse fuelled by ethnic discrimination, anti-LGBTIQ+ rhetoric, sexism and unprofessional media reporting. Sexism in Kosovo and Montenegro In Kosovo, a debate was held on TV7+ – a popular television channel in Albania and Kosovo – which focused on the topic of family …

Monthly Monitoring Highlights September: Ethnic and religious divisions alongside sexism in the Western Balkans

During September, the RDN monitoring team detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse fueled by religious and ethnic discrimination and sexism. Religious discrimination in Montenegro On the 4th of September, portal Borba published an article from the unregistered portal Srpska 24, titled ‘Concert for Nermin – Islamization of Podgorica’, in which ethnic and national …

TROLL OF THE MONTH: Prime Minister Edi Rama in Albania

The Balkan Troll of the Month is an individual, a group of individuals or a media outlet that spreads hate based on gender, ethnicity, religion, or other diversity categories. The Balkan Troll is selected based on hate speech incidents identified across the Western Balkans region. Prime Minister Edi Rama was questioned during a parliamentary session …

Monthly Monitoring Highlights August: Ethnic and religious divisions, attacks against the media, journalists, and activists

During August, the RDN monitoring team detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse. This month, we’ve witnessed hate fueled by ethnic and religious divisions, coupled with targeted attacks against the media, journalists, and activists. Ethnic hate in North Macedonia and Albania This month in North Macedonia, social media users called for the boycotting of …

Monthly Monitoring Highlights July: Relativisation of obstetric violence, sexism and ethnic tensions

Throughout July, the RDN monitoring team has detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse. This month, we have seen the dangerous revitalisation of obstetric violence alongside hatred based on ethnicity and gender as well as hatred against journalists. Revitalisation of obstetric violence in Serbia In the morning show on TV Prva the Minister for …

The Paris Olympics, Supreme Sportsmanship, or Hatred and Insults?

In a better world, Imane Khelif’s success would be celebrated. Throughout history, women have had a lot to prove. Today, they are put positions where they must prove that they are physiologically women. Some arenas would go as far as excluding them from public spaces, just as in the early days of the Olympics, when …