The Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) organised a seminar "The media is not truly free unless women share an equal voice" for journalists here on Thursday in connection with the International Women's Day (IWD) at PPF-Vicky Zeitin Media Library.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation's (Unesco) theme for IWD this year calls for equality for women in the media and all other spheres as part of an struggle for genuine democracy in society at large and in media institution in particular.
In this matter, Unesco is launching for a third time the global initiative - "Women Make the News". It appealed to all media-producing daily newspapers to hand over editorial responsibilities to women to cast the news for a day.
Invited speakers were Dr Shahida Kazi, professor and former chairperson, Mass Communications Department, Karachi University, Zubaida Mustafa, Editor, Books and Authors, Dawn, Fazal Qureishi, PPF vice-chairman, Ms Ayesha Haq, managing-director.
The Daily Times, Abdul Hameed Chappra, chairman, APNEC and former president of PFUJ and Karachi Press club, Ms Fariha Razzaq Haroon, group director, Jang Group and Geo, Owais Aslam Ali, secretary-general, PPF.
Awais Aslam said that our print media is different from the electronic media. Electronic media shows and discuss upper class matters and failed to show the realities. On the other hand, print media is more relevant than the electronic media. It sensitises general masses and present a balanced view.
"Over the past many years, women did great deal in this profession. Now, women in journalism are holding decision-making positions but they are not in majority; they are very thin in the field."
He said Africa has 22 percent women in the media then why they are very short in our country.
Fazal Qureishi discussed various programmes PPF has initiated to educate women in rural areas about how to write stories. He said that PPF encourages those women who write for newspapers and give them Rs500 per write-up.
He also said that PPF and Unesco are jointly organising a best journalism award.
Shahida Kazi said that women are very thin in the field, mostly working in the desk job or in the magazines.
She said either it is a discrimination against the women or the management do not want the women work at key editorial positions.
Zubaida Mustafa cited low wages for the continuously shrinking strength of women in media. She said management should give privilege to those women who do not work at late sittings but can contribute through the mails.
She asked the like-minded people to come forward and educate the general public of the need for women to work in this field. She also said journalist union should make a separate cell for women.
Fariha Razzaq said women are not totally free in this field. There are some problems, they could not afford to work late at night. It is our responsibility to arrange a proper working environment for them.
She said 50 percent women are working in the Geo channel. Women should work in this field.
Ayesha Haq said the media is a reflection of our society. Our society is extremely bias towards gender. We should encourage woman to work either through e-mails or at offices.
Hameed Chappra was of the view that print and electronic media are two different domains. In our society, electronic media is totally under government control. It is a propaganda media and misled the people. While print media inform and mobilise the people. He lauded the role of women in print media.
Unesco's appeal for equally in the media - as in all other spheres - is a part of the struggle for genuine democracy in society at large and in media institutions in particular.
It is a matter of human rights. As long as men and women are not given the possibility to work together on an equal basis, sharing the same rights and the same responsibilities, there is a democratic deficit in our societies.
Women make up more than a third of the world's journalists. They work in newspapers and magazines, in broadcasting and on-line media and they cover every issue from education to war.
But they are still a long way from achieving equality with men in the newsrooms or rising to key editorial positions where influential decisions are made. The Unesco initiative aims at to raise awareness of this gender inequality.
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