KARACHI: The first series of training workshops Under IFJ Research and Lobbying project 2024, on journalists’ rights and labor laws in Pakistan to start tomorrow (September 11, 2024) from Mirpurkhas, where journalists from Mirpurkhas city and adjoining town will participate. This program is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

After Mirpurkhas, the next training will be held in Hyderabad for the journalists of Hyderabad, Tando Allahyar and adjoining areas, on September 12 respectively.

Project Coordinator, Labour leader and trainer Sheher Bano, Trainer Zubair Ashraf, senior journalist, Hasan Abbas, PFUJ-VP Junaid Khanzada, Shahid Ghazali and others will deliver detailed lectures on Laboure laws, IRA, PECA and PEMRA Laws and Anti-workplace harassment laws, job security, safety in the field, and related labor laws for journalists. Senior journalist Shahid Ghazali will discuss the decline of the print media and strategies to address it. In the final session, during group discussions at both the places, participants will express their views on the challenges journalists face and the lack of rights despite existing labor laws, presenting their recommendations to resolve these issues in group’s reports.

In the second part of the workshop, senior local journalists, political leaders and government officials will join the session. They will participate in lobbying sessions and focus group discussions addressing the issues journalists raised during the training and their recommendations. Government representatives will be asked for their opinions on solving these issues based on the suggestions provided. The purpose of this discussion is to involve these government representatives and political leaders so they can raise these issues in the assembly and voice their concerns in the corridors of power.