JournalismPakistan.com | Published July 11, 2019
Join our WhatsApp channel
UNESCO is launching a one-year project that will promote an enabling and secure environment for women journalists that allows them to carry out their work safely.
Implemented in India, Sri Lanka, Mali, and Senegal, the project will address the issue from multiple perspectives.
Through a research component, UNESCO will analyze the scope of threats faced by women journalists in the selected countries.
Building on this research, capacity-building workshops will empower women journalists and sensitize media managers and local security forces to gender-based threats against journalists. To encourage institutional change, UNESCO will support media organizations in implementing and strengthening existing gender-sensitive safety policies. The project will also include a global awareness-raising component.
Journalists all over the world are exposed to safety risks, not only when working in conflict areas but also when reporting on potentially divisive topics such as politics, migration, or corruption.
In addition to being targeted for their reporting, women journalists are often also targeted because of their gender. The abuse and violence that they face are all too often of a sexist or sexual nature.
Threats and violence against women journalists, whether they occur online or offline, can have a devastating effect on these journalists' psychological health and ability to carry out their work, but also have a broader impact on society.
Harassment and threats can lead to self-censorship and push women out of the already male-dominated media sector. This silencing of women's voices stands in the way of inclusive societal discourse and sustainable development.
It is with these challenges in mind that UNESCO is partnering with the Swedish Postcode Foundation to tackle the range of threats that women journalists face both in the digital environment and offline, taking into account the specific contexts of the four target countries.
The project falls under the umbrella of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists, which encourages an approach that takes into account the gender dimensions of threats and violence.
It is also in line with 39C/Resolution 39 adopted by the UNESCO General Conference in 2017, which invited the director-general to reinforce activities aimed at addressing the specific threats to the safety of women journalists
The Swedish Postcode Foundation is a beneficiary of the Swedish Postcode Lottery and promotes social development through a range of projects tackling local and global challenges. This project marks the first cooperation between UNESCO and the Swedish Postcode Foundation. – UNESCO
July 08, 2025: As Pakistani authorities move to block YouTube channels of journalists, censorship tightens. Yet, social media has emerged as a defiant force, keeping the spirit of free speech alive despite increasing state control.
July 08, 2025: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has acquitted a murder accused, ruling that confessions made to the media while in police custody are inadmissible. Justice Athar Minallah emphasized due process and transparency in legal proceedings.
July 08, 2025: The Pakistan government has approached a court seeking the removal of several YouTube channels operated by prominent journalists, accusing them of spreading false information and provoking unrest against state institutions.
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 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.