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July 25, 2024 - Comments Off on More than 60 Journalists and Media Practitioners Across Pakistan Condemn the Sexist and Derogatory Statements Made by Dr. Omer Adil Against Women in Media

More than 60 Journalists and Media Practitioners Across Pakistan Condemn the Sexist and Derogatory Statements Made by Dr. Omer Adil Against Women in Media

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

PRESS RELEASE

25 July 2024

Pakistan: Network of Women Journalists for Digital Rights (NWJDR) strongly condemns Dr. Omer Adil’s recent derogatory and sexist statements against Gharidah Farooqi  and women working in the media in an online program by vlogger Zohaib Saleem Butt. The online vlog has been extremely triggering with the use of graphic language against women journalists in the country.

 

The use of these sexist and abusive words for women working in the media have been repeatedly used by male journalists and colleagues in the past too. This is not the first time that female journalists and anchors have been a target of hate speech, threats and defamation. Time and again women journalists have raised their concerns with relevant authorities and demanded justice however no punitive action is taken to provide them with protection. 

 

It is also pertinent to mention that the World Press Freedom Index already marks Pakistan at 152 out of 180 countries on press freedom and there’s been repeated orchestrated and sophisticated attacks against women journalists with gendered disinformation, hateful slurs, and technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) in the country. The Digital Rights Foundation’s Cyber Harassment Helpline Report 2023 has also been receiving repeated complaints from journalists based on the attacks they face online and in 2023 alone 35 journalists filed a complaint with the helpline.

 

These comments increase the chances of violence in offline spaces for women working in the media and can have a lasting impact on their mental health. Women journalists already lack institutional support from families and workplaces and with comments like these made by senior journalists it only reinforces negative stereotypical personas of women working in the media and also directly poses threats to their economic livelihoods. 

 

The NWJDR demands full accountability from Dr. Omar Adil for maligning female journalists in the video. A public apology is insufficient to address the profound damage inflicted on the reputation of all women journalists. Furthermore, we assert that the apology from video host Zohaib Saleem Butt is grossly inadequate and fails to mitigate the harm caused by the misogynistic statements made in the video. 

 

We call on relevant government bodies, journalist protection organizations, and regional and national press clubs to unequivocally condemn the use of such language against women in the media. They must actively discourage its perpetuation through online content and vlogs and take punitive action against those disseminating this harmful content.

 

Signatures: 

  1. Asma Kundi DW urdu freelancer
  2. Mahwish Fakhar, Dawn, Islamabad
  3. Dr. Tehreem Azeem, Assistant Professor, Department of Mass Communication, NUST 
  4. Ayesha Khalid, Comms Manager, Facter Lead, Media Matters for Democracy
  5. Gharidah Farooqi, anchor, Gtv
  6. Afia Salaam, journalist
  7. Madiha Abid Ali, Anchor person, PTV News Islamabad
  8. Qurrat ul Ain Shirazi, journalist.
  9. Mehr Hussain, The Friday Times
  10. Fauzia Yazdani
  11. Riffat Anjum, Journalist
  12. Amber Shamsi, Journalist
  13. Fatima Nazish, Multimedia editor DW news
  14. Amel Ghani - Journalist Lahore
  15. Bushra Pasha Foreign Correspondent DW Urdu
  16. Umaima Ahmed, Global Voices
  17. Fauzia Kalsoom Rana, Founder and Convenor Women journalists Association of Pakistan WJAP, Broadcast Journalist
  18. Yashfeen Jamal, Anchorperson, Neo news
  19. Ramna Saeed Yeni Șafak international correspondent
  20. Sheema Siddiqui, Geo TV karachi
  21. Xari Jalil, Voice.pk
  22. Sabahat khan, Freelance journalist
  23. FahmidahYousfi, journalist
  24. Khalida niaz, Radio Mashaal
  25. Ayesha Saghir, Reporter Express News Lahore
  26. Lubna Jarar Naqvi, Journalist
  27. Bushra Iqbal, multimedia journalist/ anchor person
  28. Javeria Siddique Columnist Dunya Newspaper and Journalist working for Trt Urdu.
  29. Najia Mir, Anchor person/ Senior Producer, KTN News
  30. Sadia Hyat Khan, CEO of Zenith Media, actor anchor producer.
  31. Shama Siddiqui journalist Anchor person  News Reader
  32. Mehmal Sarfraz, Journalist
  33. Shiba Gill, Anchor person: Lahore Chamber of commerce and industry
  34. Aneela Ashraf freelance Multan
  35. Farah Naz, b chief & Reporter Daily Aghaz e Safar, Editor Weekly Sholla
  36. Absa Komal, Dawn Tv
  37. Maryam Zia, Anchor PTV World
  38. Amer Malik, Senior Correspondent, The News International
  39. Wasif Shakil, Senior News Editor, Geo News
  40. Moazzam S. Bhatti, Journalist
  41. Zoya Anwer, Freelance Journalist
  42. Zebunnisa Burki -- Journalist
  43. Tarhub Asghar - BBC journalist
  44. Mahjabeen Abid, freelance journalist / Multan
  45. Amina Usman Anchor person & Chairperson Of Media leading Ladies
  46. Dr. Rabia Noor, ARY NEWS
  47. Sana Asif BBC Pvt Ltd Broadcast Journalist
  48. Imrana Komal, Freelancer
  49. Wajeeha Aslam, Manager Special project Samaa news
  50. Fareeha Idrees, anchor of GNN. 
  51. Dr.Hayam Qayyoum, Assistant Professor department of media Studies. Bahria University Islamabad
  52. Hafsa Javed Khawaja, Journalism for Human Rights 
  53. Sabah Malik, CityFM89, Dawn Media 
  54. Aliya Jabeen, journalist 
  55. Afshan Masab, Multimedia journalist, CEO NativeMedia
  56. Faiz Paracha, Correspondent, Pro Pakistani & Daily News Diplomacy
  57. Sumeira Ashraf, head of assignment & planning, 24 News HD, Islamabad
  58. Sarah B. Haider, Journalist
  59. Saweera Mustafa, Producer G For Gharida, Gtv
  60. Rabbia Arshad journalist - multimedia journalist/documentary maker
  61. Dr. Sana Ghori ( Metro One News ) Karachi
  62. Arifa Noor, anchor, Dawn
  63. Sehrish Qureshi Producer - Independent Urdu, Joint Secretary - National Press Club
  64. Sanam Junejo, Associated press of Pakistan, Reporter/subeditor

 

Digital Rights Foundation is a registered research-based NGO in Pakistan. Founded in 2012, DRF focuses on ICTs to support human rights, inclusiveness, democratic processes, and digital governance. DRF works on issues of online free speech, privacy, data protection and online violence against women.

 

For more information log on: www.digitalrightsfoundation.pk 

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Nighat Dad 

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Seerat Khan

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Umaima Ahmad

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Anam Baloch

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For press/media inquiries: [email protected]

 

 

April 5, 2024 - Comments Off on ڈیجیٹل رائٹس فاؤنڈیشن کی ہیلپ لائن پاکستان میں 2023 میں ٹیکنالوجی کی مدد سے جنسی بنیاد پر موجودہ واقعات (ٹی ایف جی بی وی) میں اضافہ دیکھ رہی ہے، تقریباً 2500 تک پہنچ گیا۔     

ڈیجیٹل رائٹس فاؤنڈیشن کی ہیلپ لائن پاکستان میں 2023 میں ٹیکنالوجی کی مدد سے جنسی بنیاد پر موجودہ واقعات (ٹی ایف جی بی وی) میں اضافہ دیکھ رہی ہے، تقریباً 2500 تک پہنچ گیا۔     

5 اپریل 2024

ڈیجیٹل رائٹس فاؤنڈیشن نے 2023 کے لیے اپنی ساتویں سالانہ سائبر ہراسمنٹ ہیلپ لائن رپورٹ جاری کی ہے۔ ہیلپ لائن نے دسمبر 2016 میں اپنے آغاز کے بعد سے آپریشن کے سات سال مکمل کیے ہیں اور اسے پاکستان بھر سے کل 16,849 شکایات موصول ہوئی ہیں۔ . صرف 2023 میں ہیلپ لائن پر کل 2473 نئی شکایات موصول ہوئیں جن میں ہر ماہ اوسطاً 206 نئی شکایات موصول ہوئیں اور فروری 2023 میں سال میں سب سے زیادہ شکایات موصول ہوئیں۔

ہیلپ لائن رپورٹ پیر سے اتوار، صبح 9 بجے سے شام 5 بجے تک ٹول فری نمبر، ای میل اور سوشل میڈیا پلیٹ فارمز کے ذریعے موصول ہونے والی شکایات کے اعداد و شمار کا مجموعہ ہے۔ یہ رپورٹ کیس اسٹڈیز ، ہیلپ لائن کال کرنے والوں کے تاثرات اور پالیسی سازوں اور قانون نافذ کرنے والے اداروں کے لیے سفارشات پر مشتمل ہے۔

سائبر ہراسمنٹ ہیلپ لائن خطے کی پہلی مخصوص ہیلپ لائن ہے جو ٹیکنالوجی کی مدد سے صنفی بنیاد پرآن لا ئن تشدد سے نمٹنے کے لیے  صنفی حساسایت کے ساتھ رازدارانہ اور مفت خدمات فراہم کرتا ہے۔ یہ قانونی مشورہ، ڈیجیٹل مدد، اور بنیادی نفسیاتی مدد فراہم کرتا ہے اور ایک مناسب ریفرل میکانزم پیش کرتا ہے۔ ہفتے کے آخر میں درخواستوں کی بڑھتی ہوئی تعداد کو پورا کرنے کے لیے ہیلپ لائن ہفتے میں 7 دن کام کرتی ہے۔

ڈیجیٹل رائٹس فاؤنڈیشن کی ایگزیکٹو ڈائریکٹر نگہت داد نے نوٹ کیا، "سال 2023 میں خواتین اور پسماندہ گروہوں کے خلاف ٹیکنالوجی کی مدد سے صنفی بنیاد پر‎ آن لائن تشدد سے متعلق شکایات میں نمایاں اضافہ ہوا ہے۔ تشدد کے یہ واقعات ان گروہوں کے لیے ممکنہ آف لائن تشدد میں اضافے کا باعث بھی بن رہے ہیں۔ ایک اور تشویشناک چیز جو ہم نے انتخابات کے قریب ہیلپ لائن کے ذریعے نوٹ کی وہ عوامی حلقوں میں خواتین کے خلاف اور خاص طور پر خواتین صحافیوں کے خلاف آن لائن تشدد کو بڑھاوا دینے کے لیے اے آئی (AI) جنریٹیو مواد کا استعمال تھی۔ یہ بڑھتی ہوئی تعداد تشویشناک ہے ۔اور یہ تعداد ظاہر کرتی ہے کہ کس طرح آن لائن جگہوں پر خواتین اور پسماندہ گروہوں کو شناخت کی بنیاد پرنشانہ بنایا جا رہا ہے۔ ملک کے اندر ریاستی اداروں کی مکمل حمایت کے ساتھ ٹیکنالوجی کی مدد سے صنفی بنیاد پر ‎ئن تشدد کا سامنا کرنے والے پسماندگان کے فوری ازالے اور تحفظ کی ضرورت ہے۔"

2023 میں خواتین آن لائن ہراسانی کا سب سے زیادہ شکار ہوئیں جو کہ ہیلپ لائن پرموصول ہونے والی 58.5 فیصد شکایت کنندگان ہیں۔ ہیلپ لائن نے یہ بھی نوٹ کیا کہ پچھلے سال کی طرح اس سال بھی ٹرانس جینڈر کمیونٹی کو ایک منظم آن لائن نفرت انگیز مہم کا نشانہ بنایا گیا اور یہ شکایات موصول ہونے والی شکایات کا تقریباً 1.6 فیصد ہیں۔ پچھلے سال کے اسی طرح کے حملوں کے نتائج کے باوجود سوشل میڈیا پلیٹ فارمز کے ردعمل اور اقدامات ایک جیسے رہے ہیں۔  ہیلپ لائن کی مینیجر، حرا باسط نے کہا کہ، "ا س سال، ہم نے دیکھا ہے کہ کس طرح ٹیکنالوجی کی مدد سے صنفی بنیاد پرآن لا‎ئن تشدد، غیر منظم ایپس کے ذریعے خواتین کی پرائیویسی کی خلاف ورزیوں کی بڑھتی ہوئی شکایات کے ساتھ ، اور غیر متفقہ مباشرت تصاویر بنانے کے لیے جدید ایڈیٹنگ اور جنریٹیواے آئی کے استعمال کے ساتھ، پچھلے برسوں کے مقابلے میں ذیادہ ہوا ہے۔"

رپورٹ میں مذید بتایا گیا ہے کہ 2023 میں سب سے زیادہ شکایات پنجاب (1724) سے موصول ہوئیں، اس کے بعد سندھ (261) اور کے پی (112) ہیں۔ ڈیٹا کی یہ جغرافیائی تقسیم قانون نافذ کرنے والے اداروں اور دیگر وسائل کی رسائی کی نقشہ سازی میں مدد کرے گی۔ ایف آئی اے، جو کہ پریوینشن الیکٹرانک کرائمز ایکٹ (PECA) کے تحت قانون نافذ کرنے والا نامزد ادارہ ہے، اس کے صرف 15 شہروں میں سائبر کرائم ونگز ہیں۔ جبکہ رپورٹیں ان کی ہیلپ لائن اور آن لائن شکایت فارم کے ذریعے جمع کرائی جا سکتی ہیں، متعدد شکایت کنندگان کے تاثرات سے پتہ چلتا ہے کہ یہ طریقے ناقابل اعتبار ہیں اور شکایت جمع کرانے کا سب سے موثر طریقہ ذاتی شکایات کے ذریعے ہے۔ مزید برآں، ہیلپ لائن کو کبھی کبھار پاکستان سے باہر کے لوگوں سے شکایات موصول ہوتی ہیں جن کی تعداد 2023 میں 58 تھی، اور یہ پاکستانی اور غیر پاکستانی شہریوں پر مشتمل ہے، جہاں

ایف آئی اے کے پاس مقدمہ درج کرنے کے لیے ملک کے اندر موجودگی یا نمائندگی کی کمی ایک مسئلہ ہو سکتی ہے۔

اس کےعلاوہ رپورٹ میں پالیسی سازوں اورقانون نافذ کرنے والے اداروں کے لیے ملک میں آن لائن ہراساں کیے جانے کے معاملات سے متعلق سفارشات کا ایک مجموعہ بھی شامل ہے۔  یہ رپورٹ پالیسی سازوں کے لیے تجویز کرتی ہے کہ سکولی نصاب میں ڈیجیٹل خواندگی اور آن لائن حفاظت کو ضم کرنے کے لیے سکولوں اور تعلیمی اداروں میں صنفی حساسیت کی ورکشاپس کا انعقاد کیا جائے۔ اس کے علاوہ خواتین کے لیے انٹرنیٹ اور ڈیوائس تک رسائی کی راہ میں حائل رکاوٹوں کو دور کرکے ڈیجیٹل صنفی تقسیم کو دور کرنے، قانون سازی کے لیے صنف سے متعلق سول سوسائٹی کی تنظیموں کے ساتھ تعاون کی سفارش کرتا ہے۔  ڈیجیٹل پرائیویسی اور تحفظ سے متعلق انسانی حقوق کے مطابق قانون سازی، اور ڈیجیٹل حقوق اور صنفی مساوات پر کام کرنے والی سول سوسائٹی کی تنظیموں کی مدد کرنا۔ قانون نافذ کرنے والے اداروں کے لیے سفارشات میں وسائل کی تقسیم میں اضافہ، غیر ملکی دائرہ اختیار میں مقدمات سے نمٹنے کے لیے طریقہ کار کا قیام، آن لائن شکایتی پورٹلز کی فعالیت کو بڑھانا، پولیس کے ساتھ ہم آہنگی کے لیے پروٹوکول تیار کرنا، سائبر ہراساں کیے جانے کے کیسز پر صنفی طور پر الگ الگ ڈیٹا اکٹھا کرنا، سائبر ہراسمنٹ کے لیے مخصوص ڈیسک کا قیام شامل ہیں۔ سائبر کرائم ونگز، برانچوں کے درمیان ہم آہنگی کو بہتر بنانا، متاثرین کے لیے نفسیاتی خدمات فراہم کرنا، کیس مینجمنٹ اور ٹریکنگ سسٹم کا نفاذ، تکنیکی مہارت کو بڑھانا، اور سائبر کرائم قانون، انٹرنیٹ گورننس، اور آن لائن ہراساں کرنے کے بارے میں ججوں کو تربیت فراہم کرنا تاکہ متعلقہ کیسوں کا مؤثر طریقے سے فیصلہ کرنے کی صلاحیت کو بہتر بنایا جا سکے۔

یجیٹل رائٹس فاؤنڈیشن پاکستان میں ایک رجسٹرڈ تحقیق پر مبنی این جی او ہے۔ 2012 میں قائم کیا گیا، ڈی آر ایف انسانی حقوق، جامعیت، جمہوری عمل، اور ڈیجیٹل گورننس کی حمایت کے لیے ICT پر توجہ مرکوز کرتا ہے۔ ڈی آر ایف آن لائن آزادانہ رائے دہی، رازداری، ڈیٹا کے تحفظ اور خواتین کے خلاف آن لائن تشدد کے مسائل پر کام کرتا ہے۔

 

 

 

 

 

For more information log on: www.digitalrightsfoundation.pk

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April 5, 2024 - Comments Off on Digital Rights Foundation’s Helpline Records Surge in cases of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) in Pakistan reaching nearly 2500 in 2023

Digital Rights Foundation’s Helpline Records Surge in cases of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) in Pakistan reaching nearly 2500 in 2023

April 5, 2023: The Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) has released its seventh annual Cyber Harassment Helpline Report for 2023. The Helpline has completed seven years of operations since its launch in December 2016 and has received a total number of 16,849 complaints from across Pakistan. In 2023 alone a total of 2473 new complaints were received on the helpline with an average number of 206 new complaints received each month and February 2023 having the most complaints in the year.

 

The helpline report is a compilation of the data from complaints received by the Helpline through its toll-free number (0800-39393), email and DRF’s social media platforms from Monday to Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm. The report also contains case studies and feedback from Helpline callers and recommendations for policymakers and law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

 

The Cyber Harassment Helpline is the region's first dedicated helpline addressing tech-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) with gender-sensitive, confidential and free services. It provides legal advice, digital assistance, and basic psychological assistance and offers a proper referral mechanism. The helpline operates 7 days a week to cater to a growing number of requests over the weekend.  Nighat Dad, Executive Director of DRF, noted, “There’s been a significant rise of complaints relating to technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) against women and marginalized groups in the year 2023. These instances of violence are also leading to a rise in potential offline violence for these groups. Another alarming thing that we noted through the helpline near the elections was the use of generative AI content being used to exacerbate violence against women in the public sphere, particularly women journalists. These growing numbers are alarming and grow to show how online spaces are perpetuating identity-based attacks on women and marginalized groups. There is a need for urgent redressal and protection for survivors facing TFGBV with holistic support from state institutions within the country.”

 

In 2023 Women were the highest reported victims of online harassment constituting 58.5% of complainants. The Helpline also noted that like the previous year this year the transgender community was subjected to an orchestrated online hate campaign and these complaints made up to approximately 1.6% .. Despite last year’s findings of similar attacks, responses and actions taken by social media platforms have been the same. Hyra Basit, the helpline manager stated, ‘This year, we have seen how the manifestation of TFGBV has evolved over years, with rising complaints of incredible privacy violations of women via unregulated apps, and the use of modern editing and generative AI to produce non-consensual intimate images (NCII)'

 

Moreover, the report highlights that the highest number of complaints received in 2023 were from Punjab (1724), followed by Sindh (261) and KP (112). This geographical breakdown of data will help in mapping the accessibility of law enforcement agencies and other remedial resources. The FIA, which is the designated law enforcement agency under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), has cybercrime wings in only 15 cities. While reports can be submitted through their helpline and online complaint form, feedback from multiple complainants shows that these methods are unreliable and the most efficient way to submit a complaint is through in-person complaints. Furthermore, the Helpline occasionally receives complaints from people outside Pakistan which was 58 in 2023, and comprised Pakistani and non-Pakistani citizens, where the lack of physical presence or representation within the country to file a case with the FIA can be a challenge.

 

Additionally, the report also includes a set of recommendations for policymakers and LEAs regarding online harassment cases in the country. For policymakers, it recommends collaboration with gender-specific civil society organizations for conducting gender sensitization workshops in schools and education institutions, integrating digital literacy and safety into school curriculums, addressing the digital gender divide by removing barriers to internet and device access for women, enacting human rights-compliant legislation on digital privacy and protection, and supporting civil society organizations working on digital rights and gender equality. Recommendations for law enforcement include increasing resource allocation, establishing mechanisms for handling cases in foreign jurisdictions, enhancing the functionality of online complaint portals, developing protocols for coordination with police, collecting gender-disaggregated data on cyber harassment cases, establishing dedicated desks for cyber harassment within cybercrime wings, improving coordination between branches, providing psychological services for victims, implementing a case management and tracking system, enhancing technical expertise, and providing training for judges on cybercrime law, internet governance, and online harassment to improve their ability to adjudicate related cases effectively.

Digital Rights Foundation is a registered research-based NGO in Pakistan. Founded in 2012, DRF focuses on ICTs to support human rights, inclusiveness, democratic processes, and digital governance. DRF works on issues of online free speech, privacy, data protection and online violence against women.

 

For more information log on: www.digitalrightsfoundation.pk

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January 16, 2024 - Comments Off on DRF launches Disinformation Whatsapp Tipline to counter Gendered Disinformation during the elections

DRF launches Disinformation Whatsapp Tipline to counter Gendered Disinformation during the elections

December 21, 2023

Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) in collaboration with Meedan and Check has launched the Disinformation Whatsapp Tipline to counter growing gendered disinformation and misinformation during the elections. The WhatsApp Tipline is a move towards documenting instances of growing disinformation which is shaping narratives and reinforcing online harms like hate speech and technology facilitated-gender-based violence in Pakistan, particularly during election time. 

The WhatsApp Tipline is available in both Urdu and English and can be reached at 0301-3249539. Mithu, an interactive bot, greets users at the Tipline and collects content that is false, sexist, and misogynistic in nature which can be in the form of text, pictures, videos and audio. To share content on the Tipline all one needs to do is share links or the content itself on the WhatsApp number and their response will be recorded by Mithu. With the upcoming elections, there will be a rise of disinformation particularly targeting women politicians, journalists and human rights defenders which will translate into offline spaces. The WhatsApp tipline is a step to counter these harmful narratives stemming from social media platforms in such a crucial democratic moment. 

DRF’s Nighat Dad noted, ‘We’re seeing a rise in harmful content online particularly with respect to gendered disinformation with the use of false information manipulating the masses and the use of sexist and misogynistic narratives that are perpetuating harms. These attacks are well coordinated and planned and seem to be adding to offline harms of individuals, particularly women human rights defenders and journalists. The tipline is one step towards documenting these and ensuring to make Hamara Internet a safer space for all.’

Digital Rights Foundation is a registered research-based NGO in Pakistan. Founded in 2012, DRF focuses on ICTs to support human rights, inclusiveness, democratic processes, and digital governance. DRF works on issues of online free speech, privacy, data protection and online violence against women.

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November 2, 2023 - Comments Off on Digital Rights Foundation relaunches ‘Ab Aur Nahin’, a pro bono online portal for women seeking legal representation

Digital Rights Foundation relaunches ‘Ab Aur Nahin’, a pro bono online portal for women seeking legal representation

Lahore, November 2, 2023: Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) is relaunching ‘Ab Aur Nahin’, a pro bono online portal for women seeking legal representation and psychological counselling in cases of harassment and gender-based violence. The website works by linking victims/survivors to helpful resources and connecting them with qualified and experienced pro bono lawyers so they receive all the help they need to combat the cycle of violence and abuse.

The aim of "Ab Aur Nahin" is to assist women in taking legal action against perpetrators. Women are discouraged due to a lack of resources and victim-blamed for reporting repeated gender-based violence they face in online and offline spaces. The portal Ab Aur Nahin currently has over 23 lawyers from across Pakistan, with diverse backgrounds. The portal will be expanding its database further in the future to include more lawyers from across the country. DRF recognizes the need for survivors experiencing gender-based violence to have holistic support, which is why the portal includes resources for mental health counseling.

DRF’s Executive Director Nighat Dad on the launch of the portal stated, “Women’s access to legal services and consultations are limited mainly due to shortage of funds and lack of institutional support. Ab Aur Nahin provides women the avenues to report and seek advice related to gender based violence whether online or offline to institutions. It is important that we provide support to survivors in their times of crisis and put an end to the ongoing femicide in the country.”

The Ab Aur Nahin portal has included lawyers from diverse backgrounds and geographic locations to ensure that access to legal services isn’t restricted and limited. DRF’s Cyber Harassment Helpline has been witness to the lack of institutional support and holistic support for women facing technology facilitated gender based violence in the country. The helpline since the six years of it’s operations has received a total number of 14,376 complaints with 59% of these complaints being from women. The Ab Aur Nahin portal is a step towards ensuring that women get effective legal representation and services when fighting against gender-based violence in Pakistan.

Digital Rights Foundation is a registered research-based NGO in Pakistan. Founded in 2012, DRF focuses on ICTs to support human rights, inclusiveness, democratic processes, and digital governance. DRF works on issues of online free speech, privacy, data protection and online violence against women.

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October 29, 2023 - Comments Off on Digital Rights Foundation and Deputy Commissioner Lahore District Administration sign a MoU to conduct Hamara Internet Mahfooz Internet Digital Literacy and Safety Sessions

Digital Rights Foundation and Deputy Commissioner Lahore District Administration sign a MoU to conduct Hamara Internet Mahfooz Internet Digital Literacy and Safety Sessions

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
October 28, 2023

Lahore: Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) and Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the Lahore District Administration Rafia Haider signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on a series of upcoming digital safety and literacy sessions for young adults titled, ‘Hamara Internet Mahfooz Internet’.

As Pakistan's digital transformation accelerates, DRF has recognized the critical need for digital literacy amongst young adults. Millions of Pakistan's young people are active internet users and are unaware of the emerging digital threats they face on the internet.  These series of workshops come under the flagship project of Hamara Internet. Through these workshops DRF aims to educate and build the capacity of young adults particularly in public schools of Lahore. DC Lahore Ms. Rafia and DRF’s Executive Director Nighat Dad signed the MoU and shed light on the importance of this collaboration for public schools in Lahore’s district.

DC Lahore Ms. Rafia added, ‘This is a great initiative particularly for public sector schools since conversations around online safety and digital literacy are still relatively new and used to happen in private schools mostly. We hope these sessions will be a learning curve for students and teachers who we plan to engage through the Hamara Internet project.’
DRF’s Executive Director Nighat Dad added, ‘ This has been a passion project for DRF for quite some time now since we wanted to normalize conversations around digital rights for everyone and not just a few. We see this as the first step of many of educating people regarding their online safety and ensuring that hamara (our) internet is safe for all.’

Through this pilot project, DRF aims to work with the DC office to build the capacity of students and teachers alike on key digital literacy themes like online safety, ethics of using social media, misinformation and disinformation and support mechanisms in place for young adults in case of cyberbullying and harassment.

Digital Rights Foundation is a registered research-based NGO in Pakistan. Founded in 2012, DRF focuses on ICTs to support human rights, inclusiveness, democratic processes, and digital governance. DRF works on issues of online free speech, privacy, data protection and online violence against women.

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October 27, 2023 - Comments Off on Nighat Dad joins UN Secretary General’s High-level Advisory Board on Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Nighat Dad joins UN Secretary General’s High-level Advisory Board on Artificial Intelligence (AI)

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
October 26, 2023

Digital Rights Foundation’s (DRF) Executive Director Nighat Dad has joined the United Nations Secretary General's high-level advisory board on Artificial Intelligence (AI) along with esteemed distinguished individuals from across the globe. The board will address the overarching theme of addressing global governance of AI.

The AI advisory body’s interim recommendations by the end of the year will focus on three main areas which will be the international governance of AI and generative AI and shared understanding of risks and challenges associated deployment of these technologies. The body will also be addressing key opportunities and enablers for leveraging AI to accelerate the delivery of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.

Nighat Dad shares her delight in being part of the advisory board. She highlights, ‘I am honored to serve on this high-level advisory board focused on the emerging field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which bring opportunities yet presents significant challenges. I'm excited to bring a global majority world perspective to our discussions and emphasize the importance of recognizing the potential human rights issues that may affect marginalized communities worldwide as we embrace new technologies. My goal is to address real-time threats and vulnerabilities faced by these communities and shed light on emerging problems through an intersectional lens while considering global AI governance.’

The board will also bolster the need for member states to act deliberately and quickly on existing and upcoming governance structures on AI being adopted by states. The board will be developing AI governance mechanisms for member states and over the course of years assisting and facilitating in implementation of these governance mechanisms from a human rights and digital rights perspective. Global majority member states are still in the process of deploying AI-facilitated technologies at the time. There needs to be education and awareness of the implications these technologies would pose which the board will be addressing in its convenings and recommendations to member states.

Digital Rights Foundation is a registered research-based NGO in Pakistan. Founded in 2012, DRF focuses on ICTs to support human rights, inclusiveness, democratic processes, and digital governance. DRF works on issues of online free speech, privacy, data protection and online violence against women.

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September 15, 2023 - Comments Off on Digital Rights Foundation celebrates Seven Years of Resilient Voices in the Media through it’s conference

Digital Rights Foundation celebrates Seven Years of Resilient Voices in the Media through it’s conference

PRESS RELEASE
September 15, 2023

ISLAMABAD: Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) held a conference titled, ‘Celebrating Resilient Voices in the Media’ on  Friday, 15th September 2023 at Mariott Hotel, Islamabad. The conference was marked as a celebratory event of DRF’s work and achievements with women journalists in the country, particularly through its Network of Women Journalists for Digital Rights (NWJDR). The conference brought together journalists, civil society, government representatives and other stakeholders to discuss the state of media and the challenges that women journalists face in the country and celebrate their achievements despite the difficult circumstances they face working in the field. The conference had an exciting line-up of three panels to delve into DRF’s engagement with the journalist community in Pakistan and showcased an art exhibition of hand-drawn illustrations from DRF’s magazine, Digital 50.50.

The event started off with welcome remarks by Maryam Saeed, Program Manager at Digital Rights Foundation, who added, “We have gathered today to focus on what we have built at DRF over the past seven years. We are celebrating abundance today, of the relationships and friendships our NWJDR has developed and nurtured throughout our journey.” Maryam talked about the accomplishments of the seven-year project amplifying the experience of working with and supporting women journalists across Pakistan. She also highlighted the importance of DRF’s nationwide network of women journalists which serves as a safe space where these women turn to each other for support and solidarity in the absence of support mechanisms.

In our seven-year journey with the NWJDR, we have conducted capacity-building workshops on online safety, ethical journalism, gender-sensitive reporting and media law with more than 1,000 journalists across Pakistan. In 2020, DRF found Pakistan’s first feminist e-magazine, Digital 50.50, which provides a platform for women journalists in Pakistan to raise marginalized voices. In the past four years, DRF has launched 15 editions of the magazine featuring more than 100 original contributions from journalists and 120 hand-drawn illustrations depicting the articles on digital rights covered in the magazine. We also initiated a trend of annual Residential Retreats for the Collective Well-being of women journalists in Pakistan and have so far hosted three Retreats with more than 30 participants attending each of these.

The 1st Secretary of Political Affairs for the Netherlands Embassy, Ms. Lotte Hofste, shared opening remarks and stressed the need for a balanced gendered portrayal in media which shows a positive effect on both women and men. She also shared concerns about women journalists being attacked online mainly due to the intersection of gender and journalism and how online spaces are unsafe for them to pursue their careers.

DRF’s Executive Director Nighat Dad stated, “This conference is a celebration of the network of women journalists that we envisioned and established in 2017. Over the years, DRF has not only taken measures to empower women journalists in the media but also supported them in ensuring their presence in online spaces is safe and rewarding. As the world is increasingly becoming more restricted in terms of free expression, we have gathered together today to celebrate these women and their resilience and perseverance in working in Pakistan’s male-dominated media spaces.” Nighat also highlighted how the harassment and intimidation that women journalists face act as a barrier for aspiring journalists to enter the field and shed light on the power of resilience exhibited by the seasoned journalists who were present at the event.

The first panel of the conference, ‘Unpacking the Mosaic of Digital 50.50’ was a conversation with the contributors of Digital 50.50 moderated by Maryam Saeed. The panelists included women journalists, Umaima Ahmed, Khalida Niaz and Aneela Ashraf, and Digital 50.50 illustrator Bushra Saleem. Khalida Niaz shared her experience of working on stories from tribal areas in Pakistan and the difficulties women journalists face in making their voices heard. She said, “platforms like Digital 50.50 are crucial to amplify women’s voices through different mediums and local languages to cater to a large audience”.

The second panel of the event was on ‘Digital Rights for journalists and media practitioners: where are we headed’ which was moderated by Benazir Shah. The panel focused on the landscape of the media in Pakistan and was joined by panelists Afshan Masab, Insiya Syed, Fauzia Yazdani and Annie Shirazi. Benazir's interventions around journalist safety and shrinking media spaces were eye-opening. She posed questions to the panel about media censorship & the role of journalists in providing access to news a vital one at the end of the panel.

The third panel moderated by Zainab Durrani, “From cyberbullying to legal action: online harassment against journalists” was joined by Malik Kamran Rajar, Secretary National Commission of Human Rights, Usama Khilji, Irum Shujah and Hyra Basit. Usama said, “Many media houses do not have policies that cater to women to begin with. There have been instances where women are fired when they are expecting and women journalists suffer greatly in their profession as a consequence of lack of a policy and legal framework.” Furthermore, NCHR Secretary added, “As Commission, it is our duty to identify the gaps in the system. And our complaint system can be expanded and a complaint filed with NCHR will see a recourse more efficiently especially if the state fails to respond.”

Digital Rights Foundation is a registered research-based NGO in Pakistan. Founded in 2012, DRF focuses on ICTs to support human rights, inclusiveness, democratic processes, and digital governance. DRF works on issues of online free speech, privacy, data protection and online violence against women.

For more information log on: www.digitalrightsfoundation.pk

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July 24, 2023 - Comments Off on Digital Rights Foundation received 75 cases of online harassment against journalists in 2022

Digital Rights Foundation received 75 cases of online harassment against journalists in 2022

JULY, 24 2023: Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) released its Policy Brief for journalists' and media practitioners' complaints received by the Cyber Harassment Heline during the year 2022. In 2022 the Helpline received a total of 75 complaints from journalists and media practitioners consisting of 34 female, 40 male and 1 trans persons. Women journalists are particularly susceptible to online harassment due to their gender, often being subjected to misogynistic and sexually explicit comments. In addition, they may also face self-censorship and professional attacks, which can have significant personal and professional repercussions. 

The policy brief is a compilation of the data from cases received by the Helpline through its toll-free number (0800-39393), which is available from Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm, and other services such as email and DRF’s social media platforms. The Helpline provides crucial tailored assistance to individuals facing complex and intersecting forms of vulnerability. The policy brief also contains recommendations for policymakers,  law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and social media companies to handle cases related to the media. 

The Cyber Harassment Helpline received the highest number of complaints (25%) from Punjab, followed by (17%) from journalists outside Pakistan, predominantly from Afghanistan. Around 51 complaints from journalists and media practitioners received were of cyber harassment, which accounts for 68% of the total complaints received from the journalist community during the year 2022. Out of these 51 complaints 15 were of threats received by the journalists which (29% of cyber harassment cases). This was followed by a total of 13 complaints of hacking attempts of either the journalists’ social media accounts or mass reporting of their accounts which disrupts their work and leads to a breach of their personal information. 

Additionally, defamation has been on the rise with around 18% of cases in the cyber harassment category being instances of organised and targeted campaigns against journalists on multiple online platforms instigating hatred. These campaigns often employed tactics of disinformation to harass their targets. This was followed by the suspension of accounts of journalists by social media companies. In most cases, there were “false positives” where either journalists reporting on issues of violence and conflict were suspended even though they were endorsing the views of those being reported on or instances where content moderation failed to understand the nature of posts due to the posts being in the local language and contextual barriers.

The policy brief also included recommendations for different stakeholders including the government, media houses and social media companies. DRF appreciated the bill on journalist safety, ‘Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals 2021’ but urged the government to address the potential harm that the bill, particularly section 6, can cause to the journalist and media community. The policy brief also recommended that politcal parties should have internal disciplinary mechanisms in place to ensure that they do not act in ways that harms or exacerbate harms towards journalists. The role of media houses in providing holistic assistance to reporters, journalists, editors or any member of their organization facing harassment online or offline was also emphasized. Nighat Dad, DRF’s Executive Director, noted that “We’ve seen a prevailing increase in attacks against journalists on social media platforms which has been quite alarming. Women journalists continue to be targeted online due to their gender and gender disinformation has been at an all-time high. Our Network of Women Journalists for Digital Rights (NWJDR) provides support to women journalists but more needs to be done by the state, law enforcement agencies and social media companies to ensure their protection.”

Often, journalists, particularly women journalists, do not approach authorities due to fear of threats and bribery, and because they anticipate a lack of results. To address this, the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) and DRF are operating a complaint cell for the protection of journalists at NCHR. The complaint cell was established in August 2022, when NCHR, in collaboration with DRF and the Centre for Excellence in Journalism (CEJ), held a consultative meeting with women journalists from across Pakistan. The complaint cell, housed at NCHR, stands independently and is able to provide anonymous, unbiased support to journalists facing human rights violations, which include but are not limited to, harassment, torture, kidnapping. These complaints must be submitted in written form; in the form of through letter, online form, email, or in some cases even a message to the NCHR official number. Through the powers granted by the NCHR Act, 2012, NCHR is committed to tackling gender-based violence in Pakistan. NCHR receives and processes a large volume of complaints related to women’s rights, minority rights, rights of transgender persons, freedom of speech, protection of children, and more on a daily basis. Chairperson NCHR, Rabiya Javeri Agha, noted that “Freedom of the press and freedom of the media are cornerstones for any functioning, successful democracy”, emphasizing NCHR’s support for Pakistan’s journalist community.

Digital Rights Foundation is a registered research-based NGO in Pakistan. Founded in 2012, DRF focuses on ICTs to support human rights, inclusiveness, democratic processes, and digital governance. DRF works on issues of online free speech, privacy, data protection and online violence against women.

 

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July 24, 2023 - Comments Off on DRF strongly condemns the recent incident of sexual exploitation and harassment at the Islamia University Bahawalpur

DRF strongly condemns the recent incident of sexual exploitation and harassment at the Islamia University Bahawalpur

Trigger Warning

25 July 2023

Digital Rights Foundation strongly condemns the recent sexual exploitation and incidents of harassment that took place at Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB), where the university’s Chief Security Officer was arrested by local police when explicit pictures and videos of women around campus, staff members and students alike, were retrieved from his cellular devices.

This distressing turn of events marks the third high-profile case in many years. In 2019, a similar incident like this took place at the University of Balochistan, Quetta, and later at the King Edward Medical University Lahore. Incidents like these are indicative of an alarming pattern of misconduct emerging, where at least two of the known cases implicate the chief of security as the primary accused.

DRF calls upon the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Senate/Parliament Human Rights Committee once again. The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) did take a Suo Moto of the incident and we are encouraged by the NCHR taking up this matter and hope there is effective follow-through in the future. 

In the aftermath of the ongoing situation, systemic issues at educational institutions which have already been highlighted previously by DRF have been brought to light. The ongoing instances have reminded us of past complaints regarding geographical constraints that make reporting difficult especially for female victims; the prospect of traveling long distances to register their cases of harassment often deters them entirely. Even in this particular case, if students from IUB were to register a case under the Prevention of Electronics Crimes Act (PECA) with the FIA, they would have had to travel to Multan which would not only result in a significant financial cost for them but would also be a burden on victims already under distress. Efforts to ensure that no survivor is kept from seeking justice must be prioritized by making the reporting process more accessible and efficient. Addressing the concerns and hesitations of survivors is important and only in doing so can we achieve a supportive environment that empowers victims to come forward with their stories.

Investigative authorities must be required by law to provide sensitized and timely relief to victims. Meanwhile, where such laws are in place, lack of effective implementation and monitoring become the problem. The senate human rights committee in 2019 acts as a prime example here, since it took up jurisdiction of harassment cases recorded on CCTV cameras on campus. Yet, safe spaces for female students have not been created on campus.

Simultaneously, the privacy and confidentiality of the victims must be safeguarded at all costs. Instead, statements by those in the position to protect the women and investigate these incidents choose to question the victims themselves, displaying an inability to take responsibility and a complete disregard for the clear imbalance of power. 

This discovery at the IUB serves as an alarming awakening that harassment continues to prevail in professional and/or academic arenas. Relevant personnel have failed to strictly enforce the rules set out by the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Amendment) Act 2022 and, therefore, have been responsible for the current menace of sexual exploitation in our educational institutions and society at large. It is imperative to mention that the perpetrators at IUB and UOB both were Chief of Security and CCTV was installed for ‘safety’ which rather led to more insecurity and a violation of privacy for women on campus. If stringent and strict action isn’t taken in cases like these it would lead to parents’ reluctance to send their daughters for higher education in Pakistan where female literacy is already an issue.

If you or someone you know needs help reporting cyber harassment, please get in touch with us at the Cyber Harassment Helpline operating from Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm on 0800-39393. You can also email us at [email protected] or contact us on our socials. 

Source: 
https://www.dawn.com/news/1765829/islamia-university-bahawalpur-chief-held-with-drugs-videos-of-students-officials

https://www.dawn.com/news/1578777

https://thecurrent.pk/employee-at-king-edward-medical-university-caught-making-video-of-female-student-in-washroom/

https://twitter.com/nchrofficial/status/1683393720014733312?s=46&t=9DwfaN-p2fv3bkDoJMFkZA