The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) organized in Islamabad a one day training workshop – Rewriting the story: Media, gender and politics – where more than 20 journalists from different media platforms were engaged to address gender stereotypes in political reporting and promote reforms in newsroom practices under a project focusing on labor rights, gender equality and freedom of association in Pakistan’s media.
The training directly addressed barriers to the fair representation of women and men in political and public life, while fostering engagement, leadership and change in editorial policies and media culture. The participants observed that media coverage of women in politics often centered on personal attributes such as family background, marital status, wealth and appearance, while neglecting their professional competence and policy contributions.
They noted that imbalance reinforces stereotypes, undermines credibility and diminishes women’s visibility in governance. The discussion also highlighted how mainstream and digital platforms amplify such biases, with social media further intensifying the issue by turning sexist remarks into viral trends, thereby normalizing misogyny in political discourse. Through interactive sessions, the workshop enhanced understanding of the participants of gender concepts, identification of bias and inclusive reporting practices.
It also introduced practical tools, including media framing analysis, ethical journalism standards and strategies to improve diversity and representation in political coverage. As a key outcome, the participants proposed a set of recommendations, including structured training programs for media leadership, ensuring gender balance in recruitment and newsroom decision making, and providing equal opportunities in assignments and coverage for both male and female journalists.
They emphasized fair representation within journalists’ unions at both regional and national levels. Highlighting the need for sustained reform, participants stressed the importance of institutional policies promoting gender equality, alongside ensuring journalists’ safety, equal pay and job security, as well as the adoption of gender-sensitive editorial guidelines across media organizations.
The initiative, supported by the National Endowment for Democracy, was described as a significant step towards strengthening responsible journalism and enabling citizens to make informed decisions, particularly in electoral contexts. The Washington-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world.
‘Green Journalism Conference 2026’
A national-level conference on Green Journalism 2026 will be held on June 3 at the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST) in Islamabad, focusing on the most pressing environmental challenges and the evolving role of media in highlighting and addressing them. Besides journalists, scholars and environmental experts will present their research papers at the conference that is being organized by the Department of Mass Communication of the university.
Commenting on the event, Head of Department Dr Faisal Javaid said that this will be a first-of-its-kind and unique conference, emphasizing that Pakistan was currently facing the challenge of global warming, and the media was a dynamic and responsible pillar of the state, which can play vital role addressing this issue. He said that there was a need for dialogue on the role that media can play in environmental protection.
Assistant Professor Dr Sikandar Zarren said that PhD, MPhil scholars and undergraduate students were also being provided a platform, as the students from universities in Rawalpindi and Islamabad can contribute to environmental protection through research posters. According to the university, the research papers will cover environmental protection, deforestation control, water conservation, flood prevention, eco-friendly media, and the introduction of green journalism courses in universities.
The list of paper presenters will be announced by April 15, while the last date for submission of research papers is May 16. Vice Chancellor Dr Zabta Khan Shinwari will be the patron-in-chief of the conference. An organizing committee includes Assistant Professor Dr Sher Juni, Lecturer Rashid Sal, Saima Azhar and Saira Kazmi, besides Dr Sikandar Zarren who is also the secretary of the conference.
