From Classrooms to Newsrooms Promoting Media as a Career Option for Women in Pakistan March 2009 Research report produced by Uks for Internews Promoting Media as a Career Option for Women in Pakistan A report based on interactive dialogue between prominent Women Journalists and Women Journalism/Mass Communication students of Universities to share experiences and examine challenges to explore opportunities for the latter to adopt media as a career. Uks Research Centre and Pakistani Women’s Media Network would welcome reproduction and dissemination of the contents of the report with due acknowledgments. Editor: Tasneem Ahmar Editorial Team: Shagufta Yasmeen Afifa Agha Saniya Jafree Kiran Peter Rabia Babar Layout/Graphics: Gul Rukh Khan First edition: March 2009 Number of copies: 1000 Uks Research Centre #10-B, street-71- F-8/3 Islamabad-Pakistan Tel: (9251)7111419 Fax (9251)-2850906 Website: www.uksresearch.com Cover Photo: A student taking workshop footage while participating in the workshop held at Lahore College University for Women, Lahore, Pakistan. Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this publication. The author or the organization does not accept any responsibility of any omission as it is not deliberate. Nevertheless, we will appreciate provision of accurate information to improve our work. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acronyms ............................................................................................................................... 6 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................ 7 Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………………8 CHAPTER 1 ...................................................................................................................... 122 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 12 1.1 Uks Internews Partnership ................................................................................... 12 1.2 Partnership with different Universities ................................................................ 13 CHAPTER 2 ........................................................................................................................ 14 2 PROMOTING MEDIA AS A CAREER OPTION FOR WOMEN IN PAKISTAN .. 14 2.1 Why is it essential to have a Gender - Sensitive media? ..................................... 15 2.2 Code of Ethics ...................................................................................................... 17 CHAPTER 3 ........................................................................................................................ 18 3 ANALYSIS OF WORKSHOPS .................................................................................. 18 3.1 Place of Women in Media .................................................................................... 18 3.2 Pakistan’s Scenario .............................................................................................. 19 CHAPTER 4 ........................................................................................................................ 22 4 THE DISCUSSION- ISSUES THAT CAME UP ....................................................... 22 4.1 Issues Concerning Home ..................................................................................... 22 4.2 Issues Concerning Gender ................................................................................... 22 4.3 Issues Concerning Workplace.............................................................................. 26 4.4 Profession of Journalism ...................................................................................... 28 4.5 Miscellaneous Issues ............................................................................................ 31 4.6 Identifying / Sharing Challenges & Opportunities .............................................. 33 CHAPTER 5 ........................................................................................................................ 35 5 SURVEY & RESULTS ............................................................................................... 35 5.1 Methodology ........................................................................................................ 35 5.2 Findings and Analysis .......................................................................................... 35 5.2.1 Questionnaire Results and Analysis ........................................................................ 35 5.3 Comments from Students on the Usefulness of the Workshop: .......................... 74 CHAPTER 6 ........................................................................................................................ 76 6 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS.............................................................. 76 6.1 Summary .............................................................................................................. 76 6.2 Recommendations ................................................................................................ 76 6.3 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 78 ANNEX I ............................................................................................................................. 80 Agenda ................................................................................................................................. 80 ANNEX II ............................................................................................................................ 81 Presentation .......................................................................................................................... 81 ANNEX III........................................................................................................................... 87 Workshop’s Transcript......................................................................................................... 87 3 ANNEX IV ........................................................................................................................ 149 List of Participants ............................................................................................................. 149 ANNEX V .......................................................................................................................... 153 Uks Questionnaire .............................................................................................................. 153 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Questionnaire query 1, Final results ...................................................................... 37 Table 2: Questionnaire Query 2, Final results ..................................................................... 40 Table 3: Questionnaire Query 3, Final results ..................................................................... 43 Table 4: Questionnaire query 5, Final results ...................................................................... 46 Table 5: Questionnaire query 6, Final results. .................................................................... 48 Table 6: Pre-workshop survey results; disparity .................................................................. 50 Table 7: Pre-workshop survey results; reasons for this disparity ........................................ 50 Table 8: Post- workshop query 1, disparity ......................................................................... 51 Table 9: Post workshop query 1, reasons for disparity ........................................................ 51 Table 10: Pre-workshop survey final results, challenges faced as a student ....................... 53 Table 11: Post workshop survey results, Challenges faced as women students .................. 54 Table 12: Future ambitions, pre-survey results.................................................................... 55 Table 13: Future ambitions, post-survey results .................................................................. 56 Table 14: Gender sensitivity in the Pakistani Media, pre-workshop survey results ............ 58 Table 15: Gender sensitivity in the Pakistani media, pos-workshop survey results ............ 59 Table 16: Gender sensitivity policies, pre-workshop survey results ................................... 61 Table 17: Gender sensitive policies, post-workshop survey results .................................... 62 Table 18: Code of ethics, pre-workshop survey .................................................................. 63 Table 19: Code of ethics, post-workshop survey results ..................................................... 64 Table 20: More women in the media? Pre-workshop survey results ................................... 65 Table 21: More women in the media? Post-workshop survey results ................................. 65 Table 22: Impediments, pre-workshop survey results ......................................................... 67 Table 23: Impediments, post-workshop survey results........................................................ 68 Table 24: Glass ceiling effect, pre-workshop survey results ............................................... 69 Table 25: Glass-ceiling effect, post-workshop survey results ............................................. 71 Table 26: Steps to ensure better representation of women, pre-workshop survey results. .. 72 Table 27: Steps to ensure better representation