By Ann Babe
March 27, 2012-March’s International Women’s Day brought some much-deserved attention to many of the world’s fearless, fighting women—women who are blazing trails, demanding equality and stopping at nothing to get it. From government to entertainment, revolutionary movements to sports, and in every space in between, these women are inspiring the next generation to stand up and take action.
In the field of journalism, too, women have made tremendous strides, with many brave role models leading the way. Strong female journalists like Christiane Amanpour, Lyse Doucet and Zeina Awad are setting a positive example for the success of women in the news industry.
But, still, women have a long way to go. In countries around the world, female journalists continue to face workplace discrimination, sexual violence, unfair wages and social scorn.
Women deserve more than this, and it should be every journalist’s goal that they get it. Through awareness and dialogue, media practioners can work to implement change and foster a fairer, safer environment for women working in the news.
In celebration of female journalists everywhere, CIME interviewed the courageous and gracious Najiba Ayubi, a media manager, writer and activist who is defying the odds in Afghanistan. She shares with us her views on Afghanistan’s male-dominated media and her hopes for the future.
CIME: You serve as the managing director of The Killid Group, a major media organization in Afghanistan. Can you explain the group's projects and goals?
AYUBI: The Killid Group (TKG) is an independent, Afghan public media group made of eight local radio stations and two weekly nationwide magazines, established by the Development & Humanitarian Services for Afghanistan (DHSA) in 2002. The group's editorial policy embraces one main concept: Afghan ownership of Afghanistan's process; and is committed to one principle: people's right to be informed and to be heard, which is the basis for good governance, accountability and transparency. To fulfil the concept and the principle, we are forging a TKG focus and style, ruled by high quality, in-depth, timely, accurate and balanced reporting, together with a creative selection of story ideas.
CIME: March 8 marked International Women's Day, an official holiday in dozens of countries around the world, including Afghanistan. As a female, a leader and a media professional, what does this day mean to you?
AYUBI: It is good having a day dedicated to women which is a reminder of women uprising for justice. Celebration of this day in my country at least reminds the men that women are here and active as half of the society. Some are celebrating this day by presenting gifts to [their] wife, sister, mother and friends, but I am thinking of superior things on this day. I am thinking of spiritual values which can make women stronger than today. For instance, one thing that on every 8th March I am thinking about is that if we would have a national movement by government or by civil society as a celebration and every woman will turn an illiterate woman literate [by] next 8th March. The result of this movement will change Afghanistan, because the number of literate women will be doubled in the next year, which will deeply change women’s lives and can be a very good celebration of this day.
CIME: What is it like for women in Afghanistan's male-dominated media industry? What kind of struggles do they face and what kind of progress are they making?
AYUBI: Afghanistan’s society is a men-dominated society; men are considered as first [level] citizens, and working [outside the home] for a woman in such a society is with obstacles, challenges and many problems. There are many memories in this regard that perhaps this interview won’t have [time for]. What women achieved in 10 years are a lot but not satisfying. In areas like media and business, women’s role is highlighted day to day and this gives hope to us that the future of my country’s women will be better than today.
CIME: It's been reported that Afghan media suffers from external and self- censorship. In fact, just last month seven Ariana Television journalists resigned over this ethical issue. How is censorship affecting the quality and credibility of Afghanistan's media?
AYUBI: The issue of censorship in Afghan media can be related to ( ) factors:
A: For [many] years, Afghan media acted under the conservation and dominance of government, and many writers and reporters got used to self-censorship.
B: Lack of security guarantees for the preservation of the lives of reporters is causing the journalists’ self-censorship.
C: The mafia in state power [and] the presence of gun lords and powerful people in different areas of the country is causing censorship. The media group I am working [for] has experienced many threats, intimidation and beatings in the last 10 years for reporting.
D: Unfortunately, some in charge of media just own money and power but don’t know about running media and its responsibilities. They think that they can use media as a means for their small goals and that is how they interrupt the content of media and discomfit the professionals.
CIME: What do you consider to be the greatest ethical challenge facing Afghan journalists today and what can be done to address it?
AYUBI: Afghan journalists are reporting in difficult situations. In most of the cases, they play with their lives. Accessing information is restricted day by day; visible and invisible threats are making the field difficult day by day. [There is a] lack of [legal] execution in the cases of reporters’ murders, delinquencies in the trials of those accused of reporters’ murders. In the last 10 years, several reporters, including three women, were killed, but none of the officials speak a word to people about the legal treatment of them. The presence of a weak judicial system is counted as a problem, among other challenges of reporters, [as well as] the presence of taboos that journalists are unable to express.
Najiba Ayubi was born in Afghanistan’s Parwan province. She got her baccalaureate from Hora Jalali High School and studied at the Parwan Institute of Pedagogy. As a journalist and freelancer, she has written several articles, reports and editorials for local and international media outlets, and has gained valuable experience in raising awareness among Afghanistan’s most vulnerable people in rural areas.
She is currently a member of the steering committee of Afghanistan National Association of Journalists and since November 2010 has functioned as the coordinator of the steering committee of Afghanistan Civil Society. She has also held key positions at Save the Children (U.S.), on a commission tasked to revise Afghanistan’s mass media law, in a media law working group and as part of the Maulana Jalaluddin international seminar.
Some of her rewarding and extraordinary achievements include the publication of her book “Crimes of War” and the implementation of an investigative journalism project investigating crimes committed by factions involved in Afghanistan’s 30-year civil war. This unique project caused a fierce retaliation response from warlords, including threats of arrest and incarceration.
She is a prolific writer and women rights activist, and her literary collections have been published in Afghanistan. As a member of the leadership committee of the Afghan Civil Society and Human Rights Network, she has always advocated efforts for the materialization of basic universal values, such as human rights, justice and freedom for all.
She is currently finalizing a collection of stories about Afghan women.
Copyright © 2011 Center for International Media Ethics - CIME, All rights reserved.
Website: www.cimethics.org