Technology-facilitated Gendered Surveillance on the Rise in Women’s Private Spaces
July 15, 2024DIGITAL RIGHTS FOUNDATION PUBLIC COMMENT ON OVERSIGHT BOARD CASES 2024-007-IG-UA, 2024-008-FB-UA (EXPLICIT AI IMAGES OF FEMALE PUBLIC FIGURES)
August 6, 2024IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
25 July 2024
Pakistan: Network of Women Journalists for Digital Rights (NWJDR) strongly condemns Dr. Omer Adil’s recent derogatory and sexist statements against Gharidah Farooqi and women working in the media in an online program by vlogger Zohaib Saleem Butt. The online vlog has been extremely triggering with the use of graphic language against women journalists in the country.
The use of these sexist and abusive words for women working in the media have been repeatedly used by male journalists and colleagues in the past too. This is not the first time that female journalists and anchors have been a target of hate speech, threats and defamation. Time and again women journalists have raised their concerns with relevant authorities and demanded justice however no punitive action is taken to provide them with protection.
It is also pertinent to mention that the World Press Freedom Index already marks Pakistan at 152 out of 180 countries on press freedom and there’s been repeated orchestrated and sophisticated attacks against women journalists with gendered disinformation, hateful slurs, and technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) in the country. The Digital Rights Foundation’s Cyber Harassment Helpline Report 2023 has also been receiving repeated complaints from journalists based on the attacks they face online and in 2023 alone 35 journalists filed a complaint with the helpline.
These comments increase the chances of violence in offline spaces for women working in the media and can have a lasting impact on their mental health. Women journalists already lack institutional support from families and workplaces and with comments like these made by senior journalists it only reinforces negative stereotypical personas of women working in the media and also directly poses threats to their economic livelihoods.
The NWJDR demands full accountability from Dr. Omar Adil for maligning female journalists in the video. A public apology is insufficient to address the profound damage inflicted on the reputation of all women journalists. Furthermore, we assert that the apology from video host Zohaib Saleem Butt is grossly inadequate and fails to mitigate the harm caused by the misogynistic statements made in the video.
We call on relevant government bodies, journalist protection organizations, and regional and national press clubs to unequivocally condemn the use of such language against women in the media. They must actively discourage its perpetuation through online content and vlogs and take punitive action against those disseminating this harmful content.
Signatures:
- Asma Kundi DW urdu freelancer
- Mahwish Fakhar, Dawn, Islamabad
- Dr. Tehreem Azeem, Assistant Professor, Department of Mass Communication, NUST
- Ayesha Khalid, Comms Manager, Facter Lead, Media Matters for Democracy
- Gharidah Farooqi, anchor, Gtv
- Afia Salaam, journalist
- Madiha Abid Ali, Anchor person, PTV News Islamabad
- Qurrat ul Ain Shirazi, journalist.
- Mehr Hussain, The Friday Times
- Fauzia Yazdani
- Riffat Anjum, Journalist
- Amber Shamsi, Journalist
- Fatima Nazish, Multimedia editor DW news
- Amel Ghani – Journalist Lahore
- Bushra Pasha Foreign Correspondent DW Urdu
- Umaima Ahmed, Global Voices
- Fauzia Kalsoom Rana, Founder and Convenor Women journalists Association of Pakistan WJAP, Broadcast Journalist
- Yashfeen Jamal, Anchorperson, Neo news
- Ramna Saeed Yeni Șafak international correspondent
- Sheema Siddiqui, Geo TV karachi
- Xari Jalil, Voice.pk
- Sabahat khan, Freelance journalist
- FahmidahYousfi, journalist
- Khalida niaz, Radio Mashaal
- Ayesha Saghir, Reporter Express News Lahore
- Lubna Jarar Naqvi, Journalist
- Bushra Iqbal, multimedia journalist/ anchor person
- Javeria Siddique Columnist Dunya Newspaper and Journalist working for Trt Urdu.
- Najia Mir, Anchor person/ Senior Producer, KTN News
- Sadia Hyat Khan, CEO of Zenith Media, actor anchor producer.
- Shama Siddiqui journalist Anchor person News Reader
- Mehmal Sarfraz, Journalist
- Shiba Gill, Anchor person: Lahore Chamber of commerce and industry
- Aneela Ashraf freelance Multan
- Farah Naz, b chief & Reporter Daily Aghaz e Safar, Editor Weekly Sholla
- Absa Komal, Dawn Tv
- Maryam Zia, Anchor PTV World
- Amer Malik, Senior Correspondent, The News International
- Wasif Shakil, Senior News Editor, Geo News
- Moazzam S. Bhatti, Journalist
- Zoya Anwer, Freelance Journalist
- Zebunnisa Burki — Journalist
- Tarhub Asghar – BBC journalist
- Mahjabeen Abid, freelance journalist / Multan
- Amina Usman Anchor person & Chairperson Of Media leading Ladies
- Dr. Rabia Noor, ARY NEWS
- Sana Asif BBC Pvt Ltd Broadcast Journalist
- Imrana Komal, Freelancer
- Wajeeha Aslam, Manager Special project Samaa news
- Fareeha Idrees, anchor of GNN.
- Dr.Hayam Qayyoum, Assistant Professor department of media Studies. Bahria University Islamabad
- Hafsa Javed Khawaja, Journalism for Human Rights
- Sabah Malik, CityFM89, Dawn Media
- Aliya Jabeen, journalist
- Afshan Masab, Multimedia journalist, CEO NativeMedia
- Faiz Paracha, Correspondent, Pro Pakistani & Daily News Diplomacy
- Sumeira Ashraf, head of assignment & planning, 24 News HD, Islamabad
- Sarah B. Haider, Journalist
- Saweera Mustafa, Producer G For Gharida, Gtv
- Rabbia Arshad journalist – multimedia journalist/documentary maker
- Dr. Sana Ghori ( Metro One News ) Karachi
- Arifa Noor, anchor, Dawn
- Sehrish Qureshi Producer – Independent Urdu, Joint Secretary – National Press Club
- Sanam Junejo, Associated press of Pakistan, Reporter/subeditor
Digital Rights Foundation is a registered research-based NGO in Pakistan. Founded in 2012, DRF focuses on ICTs to support human rights, inclusiveness, democratic processes, and digital governance. DRF works on issues of online free speech, privacy, data protection and online violence against women.
For more information log on: www.digitalrightsfoundation.pk
Contact
Nighat Dad
nighat@digitalrightsfoundation.pk
Seerat Khan
seerat@digitalrightsfoundation.pk
Umaima Ahmad
umaima@digitalrightsfoundation.pk
Anam Baloch
anam@digitalrightsfoundation.pk
For press/media inquiries: communications@digitalrightsfoundation.pk
