Pakistan: Shaista Hakim should not be subjected to discrimination because of her gender

PAKISTAN, Swat, February 19, 2020 — The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the denial of membership to journalist Shaista Hakim by the Swat Press Club and the Swat Electronic Media Association. We urge management of both entities to stop discriminating against women journalists.

Shaista is said to be the first woman journalist from the conservative Swat valley and has been working for the past nine years. She has been associated with various media outlets including Radio Pakistan and Tribal News Network (TNN) among others.

Journalism in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province - where Swat is located - is heavily dominated by men. The fact that a woman is working as a journalist there is in itself a massive feat. However, the influence of patriarchy and gender discrimination should not keep a woman from claiming her space within the local journalism industry.

Women often have to work twice as hard to prove their competency both on and off the field in Pakistan’s journalism industry. They have to face hurdles in the form of harassment both in the newsroom and on the ground; fight for better pay; and face threats for their journalism and a lot more. Shaista, too, has faced obstacles after she applied for membership in the said press club and media association.

Shaista spoke with CFWIJ about the discrimination she has faced from both the Swat Press Club and the Swat Electronic Media Association in Swat.

“When the Swat Electronic Media Association was formed, I wanted to become a member and submitted my application. But the male colleagues in the association, especially the seniors, objected and denied my application due to my gender. They do not accept me as a journalist in the field and consider journalism to be a male-led industry in Swat where women journalists are looked down upon,” said Shaista, who has been associated with a local news channel AVT Khyber for the past three years.

“As a journalist, I have been covering the entire Malakand division, Chitral and other places too. I can do everything that my male colleagues are capable of doing as journalists. The fact that they are being discriminatory towards me is my gender and that is not fair,” Shaista said when speaking with CFWIJ.

According to Shaista, the Swat Press Club based the denial of her application on their constitution, which does not allow membership to more than one journalist from the same organization.

“They said that a colleague of mine was already their member and turned me down. This is beyond comprehension. A press club is like a journalist’s home, where would we go if doors of the press clubs are closed on us,” she said when speaking with The Coalition.

“I am the only woman journalist in the Malakand division. It is my right to become a member of the press club. When I go into the field as a journalist, I talk to men and work with them. I never consider myself any less capable than my male counterparts. Instead of using their constitution as an excuse to undermine my calibre, they should offer me an honorary membership. I can also be a part of the Electronic Media Association,” she said.

Shaista further told us that she has worked very hard to become a journalist and will fight for her right to get the membership.

Shaista is as competent as any man would be in Swat’s journalism industry. With a focus on the northern regions of Pakistan, Shaista has worked on stories, which are otherwise considered difficult for women journalists. In 2009, Shaista was a college student residing in a local hostel when the military operation took place in the then Taliban-controlled valley.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism demands that both the Swat Press Club and the Swat Electronic Media Association reconsider their decision and grant membership to Shaista. We urge their management to stop with their discriminatory decisions. They should work with women journalists to make the industry more diverse and inclusive towards all genders.

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The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world, and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

Visit our website: www.womeninjournalism.org

Instagram: @womeninjournalism | Twitter @CFWIJ | Email: press@womeninjournalism.org