Gender based violence can be minimized by Effective Use of Media

KARACHI: Media can create awareness among the masses regarding gender issues and can bring behavioral changes in society through its programmes and Radio is an active and cheaper source of information and awareness in the rural areas of the country. This was said by the participants of a 3-day training workshop on “Gender Justice and Democracy” for Radio professionals held at a local hotel in Karachi.

They said that Radio was the only source of information, awareness and entertainment in rural areas as it can be heard by those who were illiterate, adding that Radio has become the necessity of the rural life and it was a powerful tool to disseminate information, raise social issues and create awareness about them.

The participants said that there is a need to work and highlight Gender Justice and this workshop is a good initiative in this regard. They added that journalists can raise social issues with gender perspective and create awareness through Radio programmes in the rural areas, where the ratio of listenership is more as compare to Urban Areas.

On the occasion, Secretary General of the Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) Mr. Owais Aslam Ali said that the main purpose of organizing workshop is to enhance the capacity of the Radio professionals, by strengthening local radio journalism and create a national radio news network to share experiences and content. He said that that every workshop is an opportunity to learn and go forward in the future.

Trainers of the workshop including Ms Farhat Parveen and Mr. Saeed Minhas held detailed sessions with the participants regarding Gender issues and techniques of highlighting them through journalism to create awareness.

Ms Farhat Parveen said that democracy means rule of majority in the presence of a good opposition, adding that when there is democracy in society, access to justice become easy and it help in strengthening gender sensitization and justice.

Mr. Saeed Minhas said that journalists are playing a role of Watch Dog, and they should identify and report issues honestly by keeping their opinion aside.

During 3-day workshop, different speakers including Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan and President Human Rights International Alliance, Ms Noor Naz Agha, Ms Shahida Sajid Ali from Aurat Foundation, Mr. Azmat from ActionAid and Ms Asma Manzoor from Women Studies department of Karachi University held a panel discussion with the participants and shared their views regarding the theme of the workshop.

They said that to sensitize the people regarding gender and change the status of women in society, it was necessary to bring them in the process of decision making, ensure access to justice for them, and bring an end to gender based violence. After group activities, the participants were also given task to generate ideas and produce Radio Features.

The training workshop was organized by the Pakistan Press Foundation in collaboration of Foundation for the Future on 28-30 Dec, 2011. Radio producers and reporters from all over the country, Gilgit-Baltistan, FATA and Azad Kashmir participated in the workshop.

Source: PPF Training Section