Project to sensitise media on gender issues launched

The DANIDA supported project will also develop a media code of ethics.

Denmark has pledged to support Pakistani universities in addressing gender issues and mainstreaming gender in media. “Denmark is working towards creating a more balanced reporting on gender issues in the Pakistani media,” said Danish Ambassador Uffe Wolffhechel said while speaking at the launching ceremony of a two-year project at Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) in Rawalpindi on Friday, according to a press release issued by the Danish embassy.

FJWU Vice Chancellor Dr Samina Qadir, faculty members, media students and officials from Uks Research and Resource Centre working on gender issues in media were also present.

The project, supported by Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), will be implemented in four other  universities of Pakistan to sensitise the media on gender issues, facilitate and encourage young women to join the  media industry and improve and balance gender-based news. Under the project, a media code of ethics and manual will also  be developed for women media professionals.

The ambassador said that according to the International Women’s Media Foundation, more than 73 per cent of top management jobs in newsrooms around the world are occupied by men, with two-thirds working as reporters, “This is a global scenario, however, with the massive growth of media in Pakistan,women have a huge opportunity  to take active part in this development”, said Wolffhechel.

The ambassador said that women in Pakistan are contributing to the economy  and there is a need to highlight their participation in the media. A good number of women journalists have, through their expertise, advocated for gender-based issues and some of the changes we see in the society today is partly due to their struggle and “voice in media”, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 3^rd, 2011.