Islamabad: The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), in collaboration with UNICEF and UNFPA, hosted the closing ceremony and award distribution for their media training workshop on child marriage in Islamabad.
The event’s Chief Guest, Ms. Nilofar Bakhtiar, Chairperson of the NCSW, expressed her gratitude to the media professionals who participated in the training program. She commended their efforts in highlighting the critical issue of child marriage across Pakistan.
Ms. Shabana Arif, the Technical Lead for the project, announced the winners out of the 38 workshop participants for their exceptional work in various media categories. The winners are:
Television and Digital Media:
Shazaman
Usman Khan
Yawar Agha
Syed Shabahat Ali
Faiza Gillani
Print Media:
Sheema Siddique
Asiya Ansar
Fehmida Yousafi
Ayesha Sagheer
Junaid Toru
Imrana Komal
These individuals received cash prizes and certificates, with additional consolation prizes awarded.
In her address, Chairperson Nilofar Bakhtiar emphasized the need for strong collaboration to eradicate child marriage. She urged media representatives to amplify the voices of NCSW and its partners, stressing the media’s critical role in shaping public opinion and policy. She acknowledged the media’s importance in raising awareness, challenging cultural norms, and influencing policy changes, particularly with the imminent presentation of the Child Marriage Restraint Act in provincial and federal assemblies.
Ms. Bakhtiar highlighted the success of the media training in fostering accurate reporting on this sensitive issue and praised the recognized participants for their outstanding reporting. She also mentioned ongoing engagements with various organizations to develop economic opportunities, enhance skills, and improve market access for women in Pakistan.
The NCSW will host a series of National Conferences in late June, focusing on Health, Education, Economic and Political Empowerment of women, Law Reforms, Digitalization, and the Effects of Climate Change on women and children’s lives, with a call for extensive media support.
Susan Andrew, Chief of Child Protection at UNICEF, commended the media fellows and NCSW for their training efforts and pledged continued support for eradicating child marriage. Dilshad Pari, Gender Analyst at UNFPA, acknowledged the supportive role of Pakistan’s media and expressed eagerness for future collaborations.
The event concluded with a renewed commitment from all attendees to support initiatives aimed at improving the status of women and eliminating harmful practices such as child marriage in Pakistan.
