Srinagar, Oct 29: The Azadi Leadership Program, in collaboration with the Media department GDC Baramulla on Tuesday organized an awareness session on sexual harassment in newsrooms.
The session aimed to educate students on the challenges faced in newsroom environments and the legal mechanisms available for addressing harassment.
Students from the first, third and 5th semesters, from the department, actively participated in the session.
They were given practical insights into newsroom dynamics, empowering them with the knowledge to raise concerns about workplace misconduct.
The session was organized by Azadi leaders Ilhak Ahmad Tantray and Iqra Qayoom Khan, who invited media and legal experts to share their professional experiences and discuss the legal framework around sexual harassment.
Research scholar and journalist Farzana Nisar interacted with students, providing insights into sexual abuse in newsrooms, discussing how it occurs and ways to prevent it.
She also discussed strategies to fight and eradicate these incidents in newsrooms. She urged students to report such incidents to the authorities within their media firms. If no action is taken, she encouraged them to consider pursuing legal action.
She also urged students to be vigilant in such cases and to actively fight against them instead of remaining quiet and numb.
Meanwhile, Advocate Ishrat Manzoor, a legal expert, discussed the POSH Act and briefed the students on sexual abuse, sexual assault, and related incidents.
She provided insights on how students can take legal action against such issues and encouraged them to address these incidents legally rather than remaining silent.
Furthermore, journalist Sajid Raina shared his experiences of newsroom culture with the students, emphasizing that both men and women can contribute to a balanced and harmonious work environment. He highlighted the importance of open communication and mutual respect in fostering a safe space for all.
Raina also offered practical insights on how to address incidents of sexual abuse and assault in newsrooms, discussing the importance of bystander intervention, reporting mechanisms, and supporting one another in challenging situations.
He encouraged students to cultivate a culture of accountability and solidarity to effectively combat these issues.
A question-and-answer session was held afterward, during which students asked various questions to the experts and received valuable feedback.
