Women as Partners in South Asian Democracy

SAWM celebrates 2nd anniversary with discussion on Women as Partners in South Asian Democracy A discussion on ‘Women as Partners in South Asian Democracy’ organised and hosted by South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) Sri Lanka chapter, will be held at Hotel Renuka, Colombo 3 on Thursday, September 8. Guest of Honour, Seema Baloch, High Commissioner of Pakistan, will deliver a lecture on ‘Women in South Asia, Leaders unEqual’ and Guest Speaker, Prof. Savitri Goonesekera, former Vice Chancellor, University of Colombo, will speak on ‘Gender Justice, Governance and Women Media Professionals’.

 The discussion, being held to mark the 2nd anniversary of SAWM Sri Lank Chapter, will also have a presentation of a Study on Women in the Media in Sri Lanka by Imran Furkan, CEO Sri Lanka Press Institute.

SAWM, a network of women media professionals in South Asia is the first all-women media association in the region. An initiative of the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA), SAWM was established in April 2009 and has its Central Secretariat in Lahore, Pakistan. Its objective include highlighting women's issues and perspectives; providing a platform where women media persons can identify and find solutions to their problems; and advocating increased participation of women in the media, equal wages, a gender sensitive environment, promotion of women related issues and a gender-equal outlook in the media.

 The association has country chapters in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. SAWM Sri Lanka chapter was officially launched in September 2009 and has as its members women journalists from the print and electronic media representing the private and state sectors and all ethnic groups. Sharmini Boyle, President SAWM SL chapter, is also the President of SAWM Regional Executive Body.

 SAWM SL, has since its launch organised a number of educative and informative programmes to help women journalists improve their professional skills. The discussion on ‘Women as Partners in South Asian Democracy’, scheduled to commence at 4.00p.m. and continue till 6.30p.m. will also include a presentation of SAWM SL activities.