#WDDW: Getting the basics right for Pakistan’s women journalists

Levelling the playing field for women in media is complex and multifaceted. But some of the easiest wins for women lies in just getting the basics right in the workplace – especially in regions like Balochistan, writes Romisa Shah.

In Balochistan, the traditions and customs observed in the male-dominated province are of modesty in which women are not encouraged in public spaces. They are not encouraged to work, and those who do are seldom provided with basic facilities at the workplace.

One major problem is the separation of washrooms for females in media outlets. This affects their work and sometimes even their health, with many women choosing instead not to use shared bathrooms during work hours.

Women’s Media Forum Pakistan (WMFP), a non-political activist network for women journalists in Pakistan, completed two phases of mapping of the country’s media in 2023 and 2024, covering 12 media outlets in 2023 and more than 18 in 2024. This mapping was further explored and discussed in taskforce meetings held in five provinces from June to September 2024.

The mapping found that female journalists face challenges ranging from gender bias and unequal pay to a lack of representation in leadership roles, harassment, and something as basic but vital as gender specific bathrooms.

Women journalists and media workers who talked to WMFP said that about 13 to 14 staff members work in each office, and all use the same washroom. The provided bathrooms also had a lack of water, proper lighting, or ventilation.

Sadaf*, a media worker based in Quetta, said that there is no washroom facility in her office.

“I have stopped drinking water so that I don’t have to go to the washroom very often, but due to this, I developed a renal disease,” Sadaf said, “Females must use the male washroom, and it is extremely filthy. It has no Muslim shower, and even the commode is broken. There is no soap and no ventilation or air freshener.”

She said the lock and hinges of the toilet doors were often broken and the toilets were seldom cleaned exposing staff to illness and waterborne diseases.

Her story is not isolated.

Pakistan has one of the lowest rates of female labour force participation in Asia. Only 22% of women participated in labour force in Pakistan compared to an average of 24% in the South Asia region, according to the Asian Development Bank.

Cultural and social norms in Pakistan have a profound impact on women’s working lives, creating multiple barriers in almost everything they do. From responsibilities at home and at work, to their ability to travel and interact with unrelated men. Unsafe transport options and limited support from their employers creates problems for their work commute on a daily basis.

As a labour rights issue, it is critical for women to find ways to overcome these barriers and be able to join the workforce in a safe way.

Media, as the fourth pillar of the state, is not just a watchdog and whistleblower, but a crucial supporter of democracy and transparency. Both male and female journalists are needed to cover stories from diverse perspectives to not only shape public opinion, but also to drive positive change in society.

Laiba*, a fresh media graduate and who recently joined a media organisation said there were many problems in her office, but the biggest problem was the washroom.

“When I must go to the washroom, I must first call the admin. After calling the admin, I told them I needed to use the washroom. And then I am allowed to use our bureau chief’s washroom. It is quite embarrassing for me,” she said.

Another female reporter, Kainat*, left the industry only days earlier because she found the working conditions very harsh. “If we use the male washroom, the male staff will come and harass us time and again to leave the washroom. They repeatedly knocked on the door many times, despite knowing that we were using the washroom as we don’t have a separate facility. They object to us using the male washroom.”

To discuss female labour force participation in Pakistan, especially in Balochistan, it is important to understand the social and cultural context of the region first. Pakistan, especially Balochistan, has a conservative and patriarchal society. Baloch society is also entrenched in tribal customs and traditions, which adds another layer of restrictions when it comes to work opportunities.

Aliya*, who works for a media outlet in Quetta, said, “My experience working in the media office has been extremely bad. I have worked in two organizations before and had to leave because they did not provide any basic facilities for women.”

She added, “Spending eight to nine hours in an office without any basic facilities like a washroom is no less than a misery. I would be anxiously waiting for my duty hours to end so I could go home. It is very tough for me to work but I needed the job.”

However, all is not bad in the province. There are at least some newsrooms that are trying to change the culture.

Anita Akram* said her offices do not have a washroom facility, but her colleagues were supportives and cooperative on the issue.

“If I had to go to the washroom, they would leave the room and give us the space to feel comfortable. Our office rooms are small, but still, our office environment is healthy.”

Benish* said her sixth-floor office has a washroom. These facilities are available because she took the issue into her own hands. She said the head office did not provide the budget to make a separate washroom and only allowed one washroom in the office, which the employees have to clean themselves. But she said her male colleagues were cooperative and take care of the basic needs at the workplace, which helps to keep things clean and acceptable.

Faiza*, a journalist affiliated with the print media, said she works long hours at an office without basic washroom facilities. “If we ask our boss (a male) about the washroom facility, he says use our washroom, but we need privacy. The washroom is not clean, which is also causing me to have menstrual health issues.”

A senior female reporter said, ‘Our policymakers also have wives and daughters at home, so why don’t they consider our needs and provide basic facilities? Women with small children also need toilets and daycare as well.”

She believes many things would change if media organisations considered women for decision-making positions, especially in Balochistan. She said we can quickly develop an excellent gender policy and work towards providing basic facilities for women to make it easier for them to work in this field.

All the women who talked to WMFP say they had to fight for a separate common room and a separate washroom in their local press club – and they succeeded! But now male members have started using the female washroom. Despite several complaints, nothing has been done to address the issue.

Samina Naaz*, a female reporter, said that WMFP’s mapping and research was helping raise a voice for women in media on the most basic, but important facilities for creating a decent work environment.

Media organisations are bound to provide basic facilities to female members, but to avoid the issue of setting up separate bathrooms, they simply avoid hiring female employees.

It’s not uncommon in some media organisations to have more than 20 people use a single washroom, which is not cleaned and sanitised.

One thing is clear. Women journalists want their voices heard on the issue and for unions to take up the issues to pressure media houses to develop new policies and provide basic facilities so that workers, especially women workers, can continue to work in journalism.

It’s that simple.

*The names of all female journalist have been changed to protect their identities.

This blog is part of a campaign marking World Day for Decent Work on October 7 by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and Women’s Media Form Pakistan (WMFP), addressing issues for women in media in Pakistan.

Written By

IFJ Asia-Pacific

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 140 countries.
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