Call to ensure gender equality at workplace

LAHORE: A stakeholders’ consultation on gender equality and equity in media organisations was held at Punjab University on Friday, bringing together journalists and media professionals who shared their experiences, challenges and perspectives on gender equality in Pakistan’s media industry.

According to a press release, the consultation was organised by the Institute for Research, Advocacy and Development (IRADA) with the support of Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), and in collaboration with the Department of Digital Media, University of the Punjab. This is the first consultation in a series of three to be conducted across the country with stakeholders.

‘The purpose of the session was to identify issues and challenges in ensuring gender equality in media industry Pakistan and collate suggestions and recommendations to enable a working environment for women journalists. This will feed into the development of a model policy document for media houses and media institutions,’ said M Aftab Alam, Executive Director, IRADA.

Participants highlighted that women journalists continue to face harassment in the workplace and are often denied meaningful professional opportunities. Many said they are not assigned certain beats like crime, and are frequently overlooked for roles that carry influence or visibility. ‘We are not given the importance we deserve. We still don’t have the acceptability needed for us to thrive and take senior roles,’ said Shiba Gill, a senior journalist. Women journalists also highlighted the lack of flexible working arrangements, which restricts their ability to progress in the field.