In a groundbreaking study conducted by the Women Journalists Association of Pakistan (WJAP) and Freedom Network, the Pakistani media industry has been thrust into a state of gender emergency due to the stark under-representation of women journalists in newsrooms and the absence of gender-sensitive policies.

Titled “Unequal Newsrooms: A Gender Audit of Pakistani Media Organizations,” the study was unveiled ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8th.

The comprehensive gender audit surveyed 15 news organizations in Islamabad, focusing on workforce representation, organizational policies, anti-harassment measures, working conditions, and wages. Among the audited organizations were six TV channels, four newspapers, three news agencies, and two news websites.

The audit findings reveal that the average share of women journalists at the news outlets is only 11 percent. Majority of news organisations have no woman journalists in a leadership position.

Only two out of the 15 media houses have an anti-harassment inquiry committee despite a federal law making it mandatory for employers. Most media organizations do not offer paid maternity or paternity leave even though it is now legally required.

The gender sensitivity assessment of the audit report found that overall around 75 percent of the 15 news outlets were gender blind, meaning their organisational policies and practices do not identify or address specific gender-based issues that can affect men, women, and other gender minorities differently at the workplace.

The findings also revealed that the majority of the news organisations do not have documented policies regarding employee conduct, salaries, and promotions. At nearly half of the organisations, salaries are paid late, and the wages of female journalists are lower than their male counterparts at a quarter of the organisations.

As per the study, almost 75 percent of news outlets did not have even one woman journalist in an influential or leadership role at their Islamabad offices. The remaining
four outlets had at most two women journalists involved in news decision-making.

In response, the study offers a set of recommendations directed at news organizations, media managers, civil society, journalist unions, and policymakers. These include implementing gender equality strategies in hiring, promotions, and workplace conduct, conducting capacity-building training and awareness on gender for journalists and newsrooms, demanding transparency in contracts and wage structures, and seeking legal recourse against violations of gender protection laws.