This guide aims at raising awareness regarding gender sensitivity in press coverage. It also seeks to inform media professionals about the media laws in Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, and the extent to which these laws are affected by other laws (such as Penal Code, qnd the Nationality, Personal Status and Emergency laws) which control them and limit the autonomy of press as fourth power, thus restricting the freedom of media. The guide also intends to explore the compatibility of the media laws in Syria and neighboring countries with gender issues in terms of freedoms, press codes of conduct and human rights conventions.

Another purpose of this guide is to highlight the licentiousness in the media laws and to change them so that they are coherent with the principle of equality between women and men, and with their orientations and aspirations, in order to support media professionals in their struggle to achieve this equality and enjoy the freedom of expression.