Egypt: Women Journalists Condemn The “ Fire Extinguishing” Policy Of The Press Syndicate.

Location: Egypt, Cairo
Date: September 9, 2020

Available in: 🇸🇦  عربي

Egyptian women journalists released a new statement condemning the press syndicate’s policy towards their demands. The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands behind the demands pushed by women journalists.

On September 8, the Egyptian women journalists' Facebook page published a statement signed by over 150 women journalists reaffirming their demands and denouncing the press syndicate response to their demands.

On August 27, 2020, journalists submitted a memo to the board of the press syndicate signed by 150 women journalists urging the syndicate to initiate urgent investigation against journalist Hisham Allam over testimonies of sexual abuse and assault against him, to adopt a strategy to combat sexual harassment and create a safe work environment for women journalists, to form an independent permanent committee to receive and review these kinds of complaints and finally to set strict mechanism to investigate and punish preparators. The board ended their meeting without discussing or commenting on women journalists' demands.

These demands aroused in the wake of viral social media posts revealing testimonies of women journalists who were subjected to sexual harassment, assault, and exploitation by journalist Hisham Allam. More than eight testimonies were released and published by a blog called “Testimonies notebook”. Many allegations against Hisham and others were published showing the severity and wide scope of these practices in the industry.

Egyptian women journalists took several steps to organize their efforts and mobilize public opinion to support their demands and to encourage more women to come forward with their dire experiences. The movement developed into a social media trend. Journalists and experts in the media industry published videos explaining and demanding a safe workplace environment for women journalists in Egypt.

While the press syndicate didn’t respond to the women journalists’ demands or meet their expectations as an entity that should defend and protect journalists' interests and rights, many journalism organizations and media outlets discontinued any ongoing work with Hisam Allam and condemned his odious actions.

CFWIJ has observed the escalated movement of revelation on social media platforms led by women journalists and activists in Egypt. Their posts and testimonies were described as the “Egyptian #Metoo movement.”

Throughout our conduct, CFWIJ has noted the absence of policies to protect women journalists in newsrooms in many countries. This led to taking notice of various forms of discrimination, harassment, marginalization, and intimidation towards women journalists. Over the past two months, we received 20 testimonies from Egyptian women journalists concerning sexual harassment in the workplace against women journalists.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism joins Egyptian women journalists' demands for a concrete strategy to combat sexual harassment and other forms of threats that women journalists encounter in newsrooms and media outlets in Egypt and urges the press syndicate to serve its purpose by responding to women journalists needs. CFWIJ is also flagging the incoherent behavior of the press syndicate board that doesn’t have any female members although women journalists represent 40 % of the general assembly of the syndicate.

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The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world, and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

Follow us on Instagram @womeninjournalism and Twitter @CFWIJ. Our website is WomenInJournalism.org and we can be reached at press@womeninjournalism.org

The Coalition For Women In Journalism closely monitors the incidents in Turkey with great concern. Since March 8, Women's Day, police violence against women journalists increasingly continues in the country. As the coalition, we urge the Turkish state to provide a free environment for journalists. Following the news is our most fundamental democratic right to report. We demand the immediate release of our detained colleagues. Journalism is not a crime. Journalism cannot be prevented.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.