South Asian Women in Media

From the Daily Times:

The first regional conference of South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) concluded on Sunday, urging South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries to implement the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) organised the two-day conference at a local hotel. The conference focused on the challenges, opportunities and partnerships available for women in media. The conference asked SAARC governments to increase people-to-people contacts. It called for journalists to be allowed free movement across borders.

The conference asked the governments of South Asia to ensure access to information by adopting effective laws and regulations, ensure freedom of expression and protect women in the media performing their professional duties.

Gender guidelines: The delegates demanded media organisations to adopt gender guidelines and a code of conduct while ensuring equal opportunities for women. They demanded SAARC governments and the SAARC Secretariat to recognise SAWM as an associated body of the SAARC.

Addressing the conference, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira assured the female journalists that special attention would be paid to issues regarding the media in Pakistan.

Kaira said many women were working in the media, and efforts were being made to improve the environment.