The Women’s Empowerment and Religious Freedom Film Competition in Washington D.C. has recognized five women journalists from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with grand jury and first runner-up awards.
This marks a significant achievement for these women who are committed to promoting religious freedom and empowering women around the world.
Zeenat Khan, a journalist from Peshawar, won the grand jury prize for her film ‘She Stood Against Religious Extremism’, along with a cash prize of $3,000.
The film tells the story of a young woman in a war-torn area of Pakistan, who fights against religious and sectarian extremism by organizing dialogue sessions with the youth of different beliefs and religions.
Khalida Niaz was awarded the first runner-up prize of $1,500 for her film, ‘Peace Promoters’.
The film is about a young woman based in Peshawar who combats religion-based violence by developing relationships with different faith preachers.
Additionally, three other women journalists collaborated with Zeenat and Khalida on their films, including Fatima Nazish, Wagma Feroz, and Jamaima Afridi. The competition was sponsored by Empower Women Media and demonstrated how inclusivity and inter-faith harmony can empower women.
Pakistan Media Training Fellowship by Empower Women Media has shortlisted Zeenat and Khalida from among the 36 applicants who participated. This is an important accomplishment and underscores their dedication to media training.
Director Empower Women Media, Shirin Taber, praised the tenacity and creativity of the Pakistani women filmmakers, saying that their films have the potential to change lives and shift the culture at large.
Taber added that Pakistan needs more women media advocates like the filmmakers to continue fighting for religious freedom and women’s empowerment.
Network of Women Journalists for Digital Rights congratulated Khalida and Zeenat, in their tweet which read, “NWJDR is proud to share that our two members, Zeenat and Khalida have won grand prize and 1st runner up in 2022 Women’s Empowerment and Religious Freedom Film Competition for their films, She Stood Against Religious Extremism & Peace Promoters respectively”.
