Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) With the Support of IPDC (UNESCO) Workshop with Radio Professionals On Producing News and Current Affairs Program: Gender Sensitive Reporting

May 21-23-2012

Lahore

Speakers and participants of a workshop developed a consensus on the independent role of the media to overcome the critical social issues relating to gender-based imbalances and women empowerment. They observed that Radio could play an important role to high light the issues of common folks.

The consensus demand and observation was raised at concluding session of three-days training workshop titled “Producing News and Current Affairs Programs” organized by the Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) with the support of IPDC, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at a local hotel of Lahore from May 21 to 23, 2012.

Nine females among 18 radio professionals, including broadcasters, reporters and editors, from different parts of the Punjab province and federal capital Islamabad attended the workshop.

Participants said that Media particularly radio can play pivotal role in minimizing gender biases in society and media was playing better role in high lighting women rights issues. They further added that young media professionals to use the medium of radio, which was very powerful than any other medium of journalism, to build public opinion on the important issues.

Participants observed that responsible journalism was the need of hour in Pakistan and one can change society with responsible journalism. They said free and independent media was unavoidable for the advancement of society. They demanded that “un-announced” impunity to the perpetrators of violence against Journalists should be stopped and perpetrators should be taken on the task.

They said that women should be respected as human not in the forms of relations.

Trainer, Ms. Moneeza Hashmi expressed the hope that the young radio professionals could perform very important role in high lighting gender issues.

Senior journalist, columnist and regional Head of Strengthening Participatory Organizations (SPO), Salman Abid, felt that the revival of the training institutes within the media houses was need of the hour to promote the rich values of responsible, impartial and independent media.

He was of the view that the young media professionals were exposed to great challenges as the rich values were becoming non-existent despite the fact that the media, particularly the electronic medium, had boomed in recent years.

Earlier, PPF’s Resident Coordinator Lala Hassan, who conducted the workshop, apprised the guests about the aims and objectives of his organization for promotion of press freedom and training of journalists, particularly those in the far-flung areas.
Practical exercises and group activities were conducted during three days workshop.

Eighteen media professionals, including broadcasters, reporters and editors, who completed the workshop, expressed the hope to utilize the basic and advanced techniques learnt during the course while performing their routine tasks.

Later, the chief guest Mr. Salman Abid and Ms. Moneeza Hashmi gave away certificates to the participants.

Trainers:
Ms. Moneeza Hashmi
&
Lala Hassan