(Credit: White Ribbon Campaign Pakistan, screenshot)

Pakistani advocacy group The White Ribbon Campaign Pakistan recently gave awards to 27 of the country’s journalists for adhering to its ethics code dictating journalists report sensitively on women.

The group’s website explains the group’s purpose is “involving men to reduce violation of women’s rights.”  A year ago this month, the group published its gender-sensitive code of ethics at its National Conference on Gender and Media to promote diversity and how women are portrayed in news among other topics.  The code advocates that journalists be “balanced, fair and inclusive of both sexes” in reporting.

According to a press release sent to iMediaEthics, the group gave the awards to journalists at its second annual conference, held in Islamabad on March 8, International Women’s Day.  This is the first time the group has given awards.

“About 100 entries” were filed. White Ribbon Campaign Pakistan’s Omer Aftab told iMediaEthics by email that there was no fee to enter the contest and that “entries were judged based on the Code of Ethics for Gender Sensitive Reporting.”

“The purpose of the media awards was to assess the implementation of WRCP Code of Ethics in media on gender-sensitive reporting,” according to the group’s press release.

White Ribbon Campaign sent iMediaEthics a report on the conference written by its volunteer Halima Khan. According to Khan’s report on the event, attendees included “dignitaries, journalists, activists” and others. Aftab told iMediaEthics by email that in total, 230 attended. Khan’s report explained:

“The awards highlighted, acknowledged and celebrated the commendable efforts by various Pakistani media for providing gender-balanced perspectives, portrayals and analyses. The purpose of the media awards is to assess the implementation of WRCP Code of Ethics in media of gender-sensitive reporting.”