JournalismPakistan.com | Published February 28, 2018
Join our WhatsApp channelISLAMABAD - The Coalition for Women in Journalism brought in leading women journalists at an official launch of Pakistan Chapter at the Islamabad Press Club on Tuesday.
The panelists were Amber Shamsie, Nosheen Abbas, Marvi Sirmed and Tanzeela Mazhar, including remarks by founder Kiran Nazish, mentors Ayesha Tanzeem and Kathy Gannon during the #HeForShe campaign for UN Women.
A press release said the Coalition for Women in Journalism is launched to connect and support women journalists through a global network of mentors that spans different beats, regions, and languages.
Mentors cover parts of South Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and North America, and they have expertise in topics such as health and war reporting, as well as skills including photography and broadcast. The coalition is aimed at women who were “stuck in the middle of their career and not reaching the top”, Kiran Nazish said.
Coalition for Women in Journalism Country Manager Nosheen Abbas spoke about the importance of mentors in her career. “Women have been working in every aspect of journalism in Pakistan, yet there is no support system to address the kind of issues they face,” she said. “This is what the coalition is here to do. I am honored and thrilled to be a part of something that has been so long overdue.”
“We are thrilled to see so many male colleagues who attended the event and showed interest in helping later,” Nazish said. “Harassment has been a dominant conversation in Pakistan when we speak to women journalists and one of the issues we would like to address. During our research to gauge the landscape in Pakistan for women journalists, we found that 69 percent of female colleagues said they faced harassment on the job, while 24.1 percent said they did not. That is an alarming number and we hope with a stronger support network in this country, we can improve the conditions through advocacy and awareness.”
“Media organizations in Pakistan don’t have gender codes. They lack both resources and understanding when it comes to gender-specific environment, which is a critical need of an industry that has an incredible number of women working both in newsrooms and as freelancers. We want to build a thorough environment that encourages, instead of discourages them to work in journalism,” said Tanzeela Mazhar, who looks after the safe environments project with the coalition.
“Looking at the current state of media in Pakistan, a support network is an urgent need and we hope to help guide women journalists, not only to navigate an environment filled with discrimination and harassment but to also claim their space in this industry,” she said.
The Coalition for Women in Journalism is keen on observing and understanding the cultural nuances specific to the industry in Pakistan.
Marvi Sirmed, who looks over advocacy for the coalition pointed out the need for specialized mentorship. “Women journalists face everyday sexism coupled with lack of gender-neutral mentorship in their field. Whatever little guidance is available usually comes with either strings attached or with a heavy dose of patriarchal protectionism and patronization. This is one reason why many women don’t dabble in the male domain subjects. We hope that through this initiative, young women can be offered mentorship support essential to understanding professionalism in the beats they choose for themselves within journalism,” she said.
Veteran journalist Kathy Gannon said: “Women supporting women goes beyond protecting the other’s back. It’s about strengthening each other, giving recognition to each other’s accomplishments, speaking in a voice that is clear, smart and unafraid. Even the Taliban were no match for the women journalists, whose coverage then and now has been some of the smartest and the bravest.”
June 11, 2025: Pakistan celebrated a narrow win over Bangladesh, but beneath the jubilation lies a deeper crisis—from sidelined veterans to a collapsing domestic structure—signaling an urgent need for cricket reform.
June 11, 2025: Journalists walked out of the post-budget press conference in Islamabad to protest the absence of a technical briefing and the government's dismissive behavior, calling it unacceptable and intolerable.
May 31, 2025: Dr. Nauman Niaz has issued a defamation notice to Shoaib Akhtar over derogatory remarks made during a recent broadcast, reigniting a longstanding media feud between the two prominent figures in Pakistan.
May 30, 2025: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has demanded the full repeal of PECA, citing its vague language, coercive powers, and threats to free speech and digital rights in Pakistan.
May 30, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has condemned the murder of journalist Syed Mohammed Shah in Jacobabad, calling for urgent justice and improved safety for media professionals in Sindh.
May 26, 2025: In Rawalpindi, police allegedly side with Jang Group to block 66 reinstated employees from resuming work despite court orders, drawing sharp criticism from unions and press freedom advocates.
May 25, 2025: PFUJ condemns the Jang Group's decision to dismiss over 80 employees in Rawalpindi, calling it an 'economic massacre.' The union warns of nationwide protests if workers are not reinstated.
May 25, 2025: Daily Jang Rawalpindi has terminated over 80 employees, including female staff, despite multiple court rulings in their favor—raising concerns over labor rights violations and misuse of authority in Pakistani media.
May 19, 2025 PJS reports 219 Palestinian journalists killed in Israeli attacks since October 7, with 30 women among the victims. Over 430 were injured and 685 family members were killed. Read more on the systematic targeting of media in Gaza.
May 15, 2025 Discover the legacy of Samiullah Khan, Pakistan’s legendary "Flying Horse," whose breathtaking speed and artistry redefined hockey. From Olympic glory to World Cup triumphs, his story is one of myth, movement, and magic.
May 04, 2025 Algerian authorities suspend Echorouk News TV for 10 days after it used a racist slur against African migrants. ANIRA demands an apology, calling it a violation of human dignity.
May 04, 2025 NCHR and MMfD launch a journalism fellowship to train reporters on digital rights & gender inclusion in Pakistan. Supported by UNESCO, this initiative aims to bridge the gender digital divide. Apply by May 15, 2025!
April 23, 2025 Discover Dr. Nauman Niaz’s In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple & Triple Centuries 1876–2025, a profound exploration of cricket's most monumental innings, blending historical analysis with poetic narrative.