Pakistan: CFWIJ condemns the news and media organization exploiting women journalists

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July 1, 2021- Several women journalists associated with different newspapers and media organizations held a protest in the capital, Islamabad, on June 26. The demonstration was organized to denounce the unjustified layoffs and prolonged delays in salary payments. The women journalists demanded immediate payment of pending wages by the media companies. They also emphasized the provision of basic facilities for women journalists in media organizations. Several women journalists said there should be a necessary amendment in the law to ensure media organizations hire 33% female staff at least. It is often observed in the Pakistani media landscape that issues regarding women journalists do not get due attention.

CFWIJ spoke to a few of these women journalists. Here is their testimony. 

Nargiz Janjua joined the Daily Jinnah newspaper in 2015. Later, in 2017, she was appointed to look over the editorial page with only a meager raise in her salary. The journalist revealed that salaries would often be delayed without justification. Nargiz recounted that in October 2020, the newspaper shut down the Islamabad office and cleared six months’ worth of salaries for the entire staff. “I was the only one asked to stay as there was no alternate present in the Lahore bureau to run the editorial. After two months, in December, I was called by an accountant who asked me to leave as I was no longer needed. When I inquired about my pending salaries, he assured me to clear the pending salaries in a week. It’s been more than six months, and I'm still waiting,” Nargiz said. 

She further shared, “I remained in contact with the Chief Editor and some other senior officials. They never refused to pay me, but now they have stopped responding to my calls and messages. Upon suggestions from colleagues, I filed a case in ITNE (Implementation Tribunal of Newspaper Employees) in March, but no judge has been appointed there so far who could look at pending cases.”

Fauzia Kalsoom is working as an associate producer for a private TV channel. Presently, she is required to stay in the office from morning to night. Fauzia has vast experience working in newspapers, TV, and radio. Unfortunately, she did not have a smooth working experience anywhere because of either delay in salary or complete refusal of payment. While talking to the CFWIJ, she shared, “I have worked in Daily Jinnah and Al-Sharq Newspapers, then I joined Royal TV and also worked for Daily Times Newspaper. Almost everywhere there was always a delay in salaries, sometimes for seven to eight months. In Royal TV, they would give us three or four paychecks after a gap of six months.”

The journalist mentioned when she quit and joined Radio Pakistan the COVID-19 crisis hit the media sphere in Pakistan. There she saw permanent employees staying home and getting allowances while she and other contractual employees were forced to work unreasonable hours morning and night. Still, they were not paid, even on Eid. When she complained about this mistreatment on the PM portal, she was laid off. “There is a special kind of discrimination against women journalists. They offend you more knowing you are a female. They do not care if our health gets affected or something is against the law. Media organizations do this assault without any fear since there is no implementation of law in Pakistan,” Fauzia concluded her remarks.

Sumaira Rajput joined a private news channel in 2018 as a central assignment editor. Her 12 months of salary from her previous employer, Public TV, are still pending. She is committed to fighting for her rights. While speaking to CFWIJ, she shared, “I joined a private news channel where the entire staff received only four paychecks on time. The chairman of the company asked us to stand with them in hard times so the organization would stand by us in our time of need. In 2020, after we were completely out of cash, I pushed back and asked our immediate bosses regarding fundamental rights that included getting paid on time, maternity leaves, equal wage, and promotions as per performance. I explained how many women can’t manage to work without getting paid on time. Rather than taking notice of my concerns, they asked me to go on unpaid leave out of a grudge for voicing the rights of female workers. This was the time when COVID-19 had hit everyone’s pockets hard, and I was let go due to the company’s toxic environment against women journalists.”

“I was in extreme shock for days,” Sumaira revealed. However, this incident didn’t stop the journalist from voicing the needs of marginalized communities. Sumaira took her talents to freelance for international organizations.  In January 2021, she wrote an article addressing the pressing issue of marital rape in the country. The piece sparked a widespread outcry, particularly from men, “the response I got from men showed me that online journalism isn’t a space free of harassment and threats either. I was subjected to both psychological and physical threats, and the impact of the abuse continues to torment me,” said Sumaira. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is alarmed by the exploitation of women journalists in Pakistan. We demand the Ministry of Information and Technology recognize the media organizations that do not pay their staff and are still licensed to run a TV channel or newspaper. We demand judicial authorities to actively investigate  the complaints filed by women journalists and prioritize an equitable solution.