‘Women in media are more vulnerable to intolerance’

Islamabad : Speakers of a roundtable urged the parliamentarians and the government to take serious steps towards implementation of decent work environment regime in the media outlets. The work ethics are fast deteriorating in the absence of professional framework while women in media are more vulnerable to intolerance and male chauvinism.

Senator Faisal Javed Khan was the chief guest of the roundtable organised by the Devcom-Pakistan (Development Communications Network) in collaboration with the Women-in-Media Alliance on Friday evening in connection with the 9th National Women at Work Festival.

Two members of National Assembly Romina Khursheed Alam and Sajida Zulfiqar were the guests of honour. The panel of speakers included development expert Afshan Tahseen Bajwa, senior journalist Fouzia Shahid, Dr Sadia Kamal, Tanzeela Mazhar and Devcom-Pakistan Director and founder of the National Women at Work Festival Munir Ahmed. Senator Faisal Javed Khan said Pakistan Tahreek e Insaaf has provided proactive environment to women in politics and their government is determined to maintain conducive environment in every sector. The decent work environment for women is essential to engage them in the economic productivity. Women in media are the voice of the marginalized women and communities. They cannot represent women voice more effectively if they are vulnerable to intolerance and chauvinism. Senator Khan ensured the women journalists that the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting would be more than happy to take up the challenges confronting the women journalists across the country. He suggested forming a representative committee of the women journalists to formulate the recommendations for the Senate Standing Committee.

MNA Romina Khursheed Khan said a Bill is already there and what is needed to implement it in letter and spirit. The women journalists are more prone to threats and timidity. Some rigid elements don’t want to see the women’s bold voices in media. They are reluctant to see the change happening around. It is for sure the vigilante women would bring social awareness and economic engagement of fair sex.

MNA from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sajida Iftikhar said the social environment in KP is more hostile towards women in media, culture and showbiz. The government needs to provide more secure and professional environment to the working women journalist. She said Women Parliamentary Caucus would be ignited to take up issues facing the women in different fields. She urged the women journalists to play their role in professional grooming and development of their female colleagues. Earlier, introducing the topic Munir Ahmed said women’s portrayal in media is becoming very negative though women are the main fabric in the knitting of a society and a home. Same is the case of the women journalists. They are just being taken as showpiece than the actual journalists. Only a few could take the responsible seats in the media industry. We need to take the matter more seriously to engage women journalists into more serious journalism.

Afshan Taheen Bajwa urged to have a more vibrant policy framework to cope up the challenges confronting women in media, so that they could emerge as a strong voce of women and other marginalized communities of the society. Senior journalist Fouzia Shahid said freedom of expression rather decreasing faster for the women journalist. Many stigmas are attached to the working women journalists and they become easy targets of the extreme behaviours and intolerance.

Dr Sadia Kamal urged more professional environment for the women journalists and training to make them at par with their male colleagues. Women journalists have fewer opportunities to be promoted on the senior positions. Marium Rani pointed out inefficient environment for the new aspirants entering in the field. They are more attracted to the glamour side of the electronic media journalism than actual news environment.