Female journalists have more opportunities now than in the past with the expansion of the media in the country, but they are still grappling with many challenges including lack of training, non-conducive work environment and incompatible wages, pointed out speakers at the ‘2nd Women Journalists Convention’ on Friday.
The convention titled “Empowering Women with Awareness” – a joint venture of the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) (Dastoor) and the Karachi Press Club (KPC) – – was held at the KPC. Sindh Alternative Energy Minister Shazia Marri; former chairperson of the Mass Communication Department, University of Karachi Shahida Kazi; incumbent chairperson Rafia Taj, President KUJ Aamir Latif, Secretary Naeem Tahir, Karachi Press Club Secretary Moosa Kaleem, senior journalists Nasira Zuberi, Ghazala Fasih, Humera Bano Moosa Motala, Razia Sultana, Mahim Maher, Zeinab Ansari, Fareed Gulzar, Soofia Yazdani, Yasmeen Taha and Nadia Farooq spoke at the convention.
Marri, who chaired the concluding session, observed that women have proved themselves in almost all fields of life, including journalism and this is an encouraging sign. “In many cases, female journalists have turned out to be trendsetters and this proves that they do not lag behind their male colleagues,” she said. She dismissed the notion that there are any cultural barriers that hamper women’s growth in media or any other field of life.
“This is completely wrong that culture is a hurdle in the progress of women. In fact, culture encourages and promotes women’s growth in any field,” Marri argued. “However, if a group or individual commits a wrong and unlawful act against women, this is not the culture’s fault. This is just an act committed by misguided people and has nothing to do with our culture.” Shahida Kazi regretted that the majority of girls admitted to journalism or mass communication departments in universities simply disappear after completing their education and this is not a good sign for journalism.
“The girls who choose journalism as their future career must think twice before getting admitted to a university’s journalism department. Otherwise, they will not only waste their own time and energy, but also destroy somebody else’s chance to become a journalist as seats are limited,” she said. Nasira Zuberi said that female journalists have always been a part and parcel of media in Pakistan but they remained in the background in past. “But the time has come when female journalists should come forward and play their role in development of media in the country.”
Humera Motala said that the work environment at most of media organisations is still not conducive for female journalists as their male colleagues do not cooperate with them. “Gender discrimination in media is still an issue as is the case in other fields of life. Some 73 percent of lucrative jobs are held by men in the world.” KUJ President Aamir Latif observed that the presence of female journalists in journalist unions and press clubs’ management has remained marginal in the past and this needs to be improved.
