The Faculty of Humanities at Forman Christian College University, Lahore, in collaboration with Journalism & Media International Center (JMIC) at Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway, hosted a three-day workshop on “Journalist Safety, Ensuring physical and mental safety of Journalists amid violent events”. The purpose of the workshop was to make sure that journalists are aware of their personal safety amidst dangerous situations, how to deal with government protocols, and how to manage their mental health surrounding the aftermath of such chaos. The workshop was attended by media academics and journalists from different parts of the country and was conducted by international war correspondent Abeer Saady and Dean of Humanities, FCCU, Dr. Altaf Ullah Khan. During the workshop, the participants engaged in different sessions, including interactive activities, to ensure the purpose of the workshop was achieved. Abeer Saady emphasized the importance of not becoming a story while covering a story, particularly during her session on risk assessment.
The workshop also saw the launch of a Safety Handbook for Women Journalists, written by Ms. Abeer Saady and translated into Urdu by Ms. Sabahat Afsheen. The book was launched by the Faculty of Humanities at Forman Christian College in collaboration with JMIC. The book launch event was attended by Dr. Douglas Trimble, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs at FCCU, and moderated by Syed Muhammad Saqib, Assistant Professor at the Department of Mass Communication, FCCU. Ms. Sumaira Khan, Pakistan’s only woman journalist who covered the Fall of Kabul in Afghanistan, shared her experience of conflict reporting, which has also been documented in the book. The Urdu version of the book is expected to equip women journalists in Pakistan to perform their duties efficiently and safely.
The workshop concluded with a certificate distribution ceremony at the end of the third day. In his closing remarks, Dr. Altaf Khan emphasized the importance of revisiting protocols to understand the system, particularly in violent events. Chairperson, Mass Communication Department, Dr Firasat Jabeen thanked all the participants and emphasized the importance of such workshops in equipping journalists with the necessary skills to ensure their safety in the line of duty. The workshop was successful in achieving its aim of ensuring the physical and mental safety of journalists amidst violent events.
