This story first appeared in Prothomalo

Rozina Islam has been included on this year’s list of 20 women journalist heroes recognised by the Coalition for Women in Journalism (CFWIJ) for their courage and commitment to speak the truth despite facing threats of violence.

The Coalition for Women in Journalism (CFWIJ) launched the campaign on International Women’s Day with the hashtag #journohero back in 2019.

Honouring the 20 women journalists, including Prothom Alo’s special correspondent Rozina Islam, CFWIJ said, “Despite facing threats of violence and censorship, these journalists persist in amplifying the voices of the marginalised and bringing to light stories that might otherwise remain in the shadows. We celebrate a selected number of these journalistic heroes and their unending commitment to speaking truth to power.”

It went on to say that often at great personal risk these women exemplify the very best of the journalistic principles of truth, accuracy, independence, fairness, humanity and accountability.

Along with Rozina Islam, other journalists included on this year’s CFWIJ #journohero list are Maria Ressa (Philippines), Cerise Castle (United States), Amna Nawaz (United States), Rana Ayub (India). Maria Pono Marenko (Russia), Sevgil Musaievva (Ukraine), Htet Htet Khine (Myanmar), Niloofar Hamedi (Iran), Amberin Zaman (Turkey), Nasim Zehra (Pakistan), Safiye Alagas (Turkey), Solafa Magdy (Egypt), Barkha Dutt (India), Sophia Huang Xueqin (China), Nikole Hannah-Jones (United States), Amber Bracken (Canada), Erica Ifill (Canada), Saba Eitizaz (Canada) and Marie Colvin (United States).

Meanwhile, the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN), a global hub for investigative journalism, on Wednesday published statements of eight globally prominent women journalists on their social media pages. Rozina Islam has been included on this list too.

“These are especially dangerous times for women reporters to work,” said Rozina Islam in her statement, “Women who are in this profession are subjected to all types of harassment. In addition to threats, lawsuits and cyber bullying, women journalists are defamed. I think good journalism practices will help overcome all obstacles.”

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This story first appeared in The Friday Times – Naya Daur

The stories of female journalists are fascinating. They have done everything their male colleagues have done. Their bylines have appeared on every page – politics, economy, environment, arts and culture and sports. In vibrant and often dark and tense male-dominated newsrooms, on TV and social media, they’ve tried to turn the tide and faced threats and abuse to tell their story. On the International Women’s Day, The Friday Times celebrates their voice and courage.

Amber Rahim Shamsi:

It’s one of the most tough yet exciting jobs, doubly so if you’re a woman. Despite financial insecurities, censorship, and tough work conditions, it can be an incredibly fulfilling job for someone passionate about journalism.

Asma Shirazi:

“Women journalists have to take on a much heavier workload then their male colleagues. Their work is severely critiques and targeted. What are those stories that women do not cover? They are on every news platform. Yet the criticism is based on the basis of their gender. They are subjected to abuse and unnecessary criticism. It is very difficult to work as a female journalist in Pakistan. But we will not give up and pave a smooth way for the next generation.”

Farzana Ali:

“Journalism is no more an easy profession. It is not so much about telling truth than toeing a line that suits everyone else. A woman journalist is often a target. She has to negotiate a long and rugged path to tell her story. But today, on this woman’s day, I will break all shackles. I resolve to bring a change.”

Mehmal Sarfaraz:

“I have been in journalism since 2005 and it’s been quite an eventful ride for me. I started as a print journalist but transitioned to the electronic media, both behind the camera as a producer as well as on screen. Now I am running a digital media platform, The Current, as its co-founder. I have evolved over the years, learned a lot in the process and also tried to raise my voice for the marginalised as much as I can.”

Nadia Naqi:

“I started my career with radio in 1996 while I was at college. It was really fun. After completing my education in Dubai and Karachi, I opted for journalism to bring issues into limelight. I joined Business Plus in 2005. Over the years, I have worked for CNBC, AAJ TV, Express, News One and finally Dawn. I have always felt men think that women know nothing. They are always ready to bring them down and the easiest method is to assassinate their character. It was tough. With time I learned that I must be doing something right and that is why I make men feel insecure. I showed to them that I will do what I want to do. My message to all my female colleagues is to keep the fight on.”

Nasim Zehra:

“With abiding power play and almost endless political chaos, being a journalist in Pakistan is like being on a roller coaster. It’s a tough, trying but rewarding space to be in with self-scrutiny keeping you on your feet 24/7. We have to deal with the toxic fallout in this horribly mindless and polarised politics.”

Naziha Syed:

“I’ve been a journalist for about 35 years but, despite everything, I remain an idealist at heart – still wanting to change the world! That’s what drives me to try and tell stories of people who don’t often get heard, and why I work to expose corruption and abuse of power. There’s nothing as gratifying as knowing that what I’ve written has empowered people by giving them information they can use to push back against the state.”

Sehar Baloch:

“My experience as a journalist in Pakistan has been full of adventure. I realised that there is power in telling stories of those no one wants to listen to and from places no one wants to visit – and that this power should be used wisely.”

Tanzeela Mazhar:

I have worked as a broadcast journalist for almost two decades. Have been associated with leading news organisations including PTV, AAJ TV , and JAAG TV, currently hosting a prime time show at GTV. This journey has been challenging in terms of fighting for equal opportunities and fighting against harrasment. After raising my voice against harassment, I was stigmatised, and I had to stay jobless for three years. I never gave up, besides journlaism I train on media, rights, gender and diversity.

Zebunnisa Burki:

“Professionally, for me the story of journalism is one of wide-eyed and very necessary idealism of the Truth and speaking this Truth to Power — to struggling with today’s cynical ‘post-truth world’. On a personal level, my journalism journey has been one of nodding along in agreement with mentors and seniors to finding the voice and the ‘place’ to disagree — internally, within journalism, within the newsroom, on the editorial table.”

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Prothom Alo special correspondent Rozina Islam has been honoured with a special award by the United States for her contribution in the fight against corruption through journalism.

The US secretary of State Antony Blinken Friday announced eight people from different countries, including Rozina Islam, as champions of the fight against corruption in the international arena this year.

On International Anti-Corruption Day (December 9), the 2022 ‘Anti-Corruption Champions Award’ is being handed over to these eight people at the US State Department in Washington.

Each of the awardees continues to work courageously to combat corruption in their respective countries.

According to the US department of State, the nominated honorees have demonstrated leadership, courage and influence in anti-corruption, whistle-blowing and combating corruption.

Rozina Islam who has been working at Prothom Alo for more than a decade had fallen victim to repression, torture and lawsuit trying to highlight the irregularities in the health sector of  Bangladesh during the corona outbreak.

Free Press Unlimited, an agency based in the Netherlands’s Amsterdam had awarded her with ‘Free Press Award’ under Most Resilient Journalist category for courageous journalism last year.

Along with Rozina Islam, Columbia’s Supreme Court of Justice’s investigation chamber president Marco Antonio Rueda Soto, Central Bank of Iraq’s banking supervision department general manager Qismah Salih Ali Mendeli, Madagaskar Court of Accounts president Jean De Dieu Rakatondramihamina, Malaysia’s Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism founding director Cynthia Gabriel, Mexican media Semanario ZETA’s reporter Antonio Cervantes Garcia, Serbian Crime and Corruption Reporting Network (KRIK) founder and chief editor Stevan Dojcinovic and Zimbabwe Coalition of Debt and Development executive director Janet Zhou has received the International Anticorruption Champions Award this year.

Through this award US Department of State has recognised journalism’s role in preventing corruption and promoting openness in Bangladesh, said Rozina Islam.

She has dedicated the award to those vocal about protecting right to freedom of speech across the globe as well as those journalists who are struggling for finest journalism even amidst the sternest laws, intimidation, arrest, lawsuit and harassment.

Content retrieved from: https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/6yrih1ag9v.

The eighth Yamin Hazarika Woman of Substance Award 2022 will be conferred on noted Journalist and Activist, Patricia Mukhim.

The award celebrates the life of the iconic woman called Yamin Hazarika, a 1977-batch DANIPS officer. This petite Assamese lady had shattered many glass ceilings and her extraordinary life ignited many young minds. She had served the nation as DCP, Delhi Police and did a short stint with the UN Peacekeeping Force in Bosnia before she passed away at the young age of 43 in 1999.

The awardee, Patricia Mukhim is currently the editor of Meghalaya’s oldest and largest selling English language daily, The Shillong Times. She is a former member of the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) and former member governing board of Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC).

Mukhim was a teacher for over two decades before stepping in as Editor, The Shillong Times in 2008. She is a gender activist and has written extensively on issues relating to India’s North East. She has been conferred several journalistic awards and the Padmashree in 2000. Mukhim has been an invited speaker at national and international forums and continues to engage actively as a socio- political analyst.

Currently, she is also a member of the environment advisory board of the National Human Rights Commission. She has also authored a book” Waiting for an Equal World” published by Martin Luther Christian University.

This story first appeared in AO News

Shimla Ahmed, CEO of AO News, has received the ‘Media Women of the Year’ award for her contributions to the advancement of journalism.

Shimla received the award last night at the 4th Professional Awards ceremony of Women in Management (WIM) at Kurumba Maldives Resort.

Shimla has now received the media honor from WIM twice. She received the merit award in the media category from WIM in 2018.

Shimla has also received the Government’s Rehendi Award for Women in recognition of her efforts to promote media in four southern atolls and attract young people to the field.

The Addu City Women’s Development Committee and the Addu City Council honored her with the Addu Kanbaidu Award and the Addu Award in 2017 for her outstanding services in the field of news and information dissemination.

During COVID-19, she traveled to four southern atolls with a team from AO News and a private regional NGO, Southern Community Empowerment Association (SCEAM), and trained 115 youths in journalism and provided them with the chance to work in their hometowns.

She is the chapter lead of the Indian global magazine Women Shine and represents the country as a regional council member of South Asian Women in Media.

AO News, which is operated by Shimla, stands out as a news organization that gives opportunities to young people and is fostering a new generation of journalists in the country.

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