Gender Representation and Media Bias Targeting Female Politicians in the Tunisian Press

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 9, August 2026 | pp. 257–264

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001280

Article Type: Original Research Article

Title: Gender Representation and Media Bias Targeting Female Politicians in the Tunisian Press

Names of Authors: Dr. Ines B. Slimane¹

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Institut de Presse et des Sciences de l'Information, University of Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia

Abstract:
Media framing plays a defining role in shaping public electability perceptions and political career longevity. This study conducts a critical discourse analysis examining the gendered representation of female parliamentarians across six major Tunisian newspapers between 2024 and 2026. A total of 280 political features and editorial columns were coded using an intersectional qualitative matrix. The text analysis reveals a highly gendered framing strategy that consistently marginalizes female legislative expertise. Female politicians were systematically evaluated based on their physical appearance, fashion choices, and domestic marital status in 64% of the sampled press coverage, whereas male politicians were framed almost exclusively through their policy positions and leadership capabilities. Quantitative data show that journalists quote male sources four times more often than female peers on macroeconomic and national security debates, restricting female legislators to discussions regarding family welfare or social affairs (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the press regularly frames assertive female political rhetoric as emotional instability or divisive hyper-partisanship, reinforcing historical patriarchal biases. The study concludes that institutionalized media bias actively deters young women from seeking political careers. We recommend the introduction of independent media gender-monitoring councils, the institutionalization of non-sexist journalism training manuals, and the enforcement of equal-time media coverage during national electoral cycles.

Keywords: Media Representation, Political Leadership, Discourse Analysis, Gender Stereotypes, News Framing, Tunisia

Manuscript Timeline: Received: April 10, 2026; Revised: June 22, 2026; Accepted: July 19, 2026; Published: August 31, 2026.

Citation: Slimane, I. B. (2026). Gender Representation and Media Bias Targeting Female Politicians in the Tunisian Press. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(9), 257–264. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001280

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