Sun Jan 3 2010
By Rami Munir Almeghari
Journalist - Gaza Strip
"We as women journalists find a number of hardships throughout media work in the region. For instance, when I have some work and need to spend some extra hours, simply I cannot , for women cannot come back home late," Samar Aldreimly, a Gazan female journalist spoke out during a special workshop on the image of women in local media that was held this week at the Palestinian Women's Affairs Center in Gaza city.
The workshop tackled women's issues in local media outlets, and how women here are viewed in the various fields of media production in the coastal territory, including print media, radio, TV, and cinema production.
Participants emphasized on the need for more female media work in the region, as Palestinian women have never been taking part in many aspects of the Gaza society, beginning with the Israeli occupation of the strip in 1967, up to the last Israeli war on Gaza in January 2009.
Males Dominate the Scene
Samar told IslamOnline.net that the domination of men over women in workplaces have somehow undermined the role of female media practitioners. However, Aldreimly blamed women media practitioners for being unable to upgrade their status for what she termed women acceptance of being exploited.
Writer Hidaya Shamoun from Gaza echoed the same views, casting her belief that women role in media has been known for traditionalism for prolonged years now.
"Despite the existence of widespread international resolutions that have empowered women status, especially in the field of media, male media practitioners are still viewed as the dominant media workers, while women have a minor media role," she explained.
Etemad Sa'ad, who has been working as an independent film-maker, briefed IslamOnline.net about her own experience as a female media worker: "Since I have begun working in the field, I have faced a lot of troubles and difficulties. During the time of the war in January2009, I risked by getting out of my house to look for a story. I can recall that on the first day of that war, December 27, I was sitting at the office of Alayam newspaper, along with some colleagues of mine, it was a horrible moment, hearing sounds of the Israeli strikes. However, I carried my camera and went out to the street, regardless the risks I would face then."
Male Have Their Say
IslamOnline.net explored views of male media workers in Gaza over the work of female Palestinian journalists. Journalist and poet Nasser Attalah, believes that the presence of women in the media field is more than necessary.
Lecturer of journalism at the Islamic University of Gaza, Mohsen Alefranji, hoped that all those working in media , including journalists, writers, or media production facilities, would reflect what he termed a "real image" of women, involving women effective role in the society.
Tareq Elian, a Gaza-based film director, believes that female media workers themselves should work hard on a real improvement and better showing up in the field of media, in an attempt to change a stereotype image of women in Gaza.
Still There Is Optimism
Lubna Abu Ghadieen, who works as a producer with the Palestinian Women's Affairs Center in Gaza, voiced her optimism and faith in the work she does.
"I believe that a woman could be a means for reform throughout the society; therefore, I believe that women need to constantly improve their professional capabilities for the sake of real social reforms," she said.
Naheel Alsultan, who prepares radio shows with the local Gaza radio of Al-Shabab (Youth), sounded confident of her job, despite what she terms some difficulties, such as society traditions and customs in the conservative society of Gaza.
She explained "despite the existence of some social trends that restrict our work as women, I could have kept up my work, trying to maintain a sort of balance being a female media worker living in a conservative society. Among these difficulties: I have used to going back home early before night falls, because for a woman it is not allowed to walk down late in the street."
Lobna Abu Ghadein, who works as a producer with the Palestinian Women's Affairs Center in Gaza, said that she ignores all negative comments about female media practitioners in the Gazan society.
"I deal with my work as a profession and hobby, trying to continue my work and make some achievements," Lobna revealed.
Nelly Al-Masry, a Gaza-based journalist and researcher with the Palestinian Women's Affairs Center, said that the local community here underestimates the role of female media workers in Gaza, making clear that media production companies and news agencies are dominated by male workers, and that there is very little room for women to join effectively and equally.
"Many of such institutions assign female media professionals with less media tasks, such as library works," Nelly explained.
According to the Gaza-based Al-Kawthar Center, in cooperation with the United Nations Fund for Women (UNIFEM), a case study conducted between 1995 and 2005 showed that 79 percent of all female media work in Gaza reinforced a stereotypic image of females, such as works focused on young women, ignoring elderly ones as well as sidelining rural women.
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Rami Munir Almeghari is currently a contributor to several media outlets including the Palestine Chronicle, IMEMC, The Electronic Intifada and Free Speech Radio News. He is also a former senior English translator at, and editor-in-chief of, the international press center of the Gaza-based Palestinian Information Service. He can be contacted at rami_almeghari at hotmail.com.
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