Media fellowship on GBV, child marriage opens

40 mid-career, senior journalists selected out of 554 applicants

KARACHI:

The official launch of the second National Media Fellowship (NMF), an innovative step aimed at addressing and raising awareness about the pressing issues of gender-based violence (GBV) and child marriages in society, was held on Wednesday.

At least 40 mid-career and senior journalists from different parts of the country have been selected out of 554 applicants. "They will receive training on the issue and will go in the field for the stories," briefed Kamal Siddiqi, renowned senior journalist and the technical lead of the fellowship.

The fellowship is a collaborative effort made by the Centre for Excellence in Journalism at the Institute of Business Administration (CEJ-IBA), the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and it is set to make a significant impact on the discourse surrounding these critical issues.

NCSW Chairperson Nilofar Bakhtiar referring to the documents of the UNFPA, said that 70 per cent of married women in Pakistan experienced violence at least once in life.

UNFPA representative Dr Luay Shabaneh said politicians keep their eyes on newspapers and social media. "So you [journalists] are important to play your role."

CEJ Director Amber Rahim Shamsi said the fellowship is a remarkable opportunity to learn and unlearn, delve deep into the systems and structures underpinning GBV.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 7^th, 2023.