Profiles

Nighat Hunzai - Highlighting the Issues of Women in Pakistan

Nighat Hunzai was one of the first female graduates to volunteer to work on Internews’ daily radio program for earthquake survivors, Jazba-e-Tameer ("Desire to Rebuild"). Photo: Internews Pakistan

Born in the remote Skardu Valley in Northern Pakistan, Nighat Hunzai graduated from the Internews-run Peshawar University Broadcast Academy at just the right time.

In the aftermath of the October 2005 earthquake centered in Northern Pakistan, which killed 73,000 and displaced 3.5 million, women reporters who were prepared to cover the lives of women devastated by the tragedy were hard to come by in the conservative region. Nighat volunteered to join the Internews-initiated Pakistan Emergency Information Program (PEIP). The daily, hour-long program Jazba-e-Tameer (“Desire to Rebuild”) highlighted issues necessary to rebuild lives in the earthquake region.

“When I first joined, I thought I would not stay long because it is difficult for a woman to work as a reporter," Nighat says. “Now I don’t want to do anything but journalism.”

Nighat brought to Jazba-e-Tameer the much-neglected stories of women affected by the quake. Her coverage highlighted problems faced by women, told in their own voices, and helped improve the disaster response of the humanitarian community.

Long after PEIP has concluded, Nighat continues to report for an independent FM radio station set up during the emergency period to broadcast to the earthquakeaffected areas.

“When I go out in the field, people still remember me from Jazba,” she says. “I find women in the remotest areas listening to radio. I realize how much impact the tiny thing has.”

She is now one of a handful of women working as a journalist for independent radio, now covering news and current affairs for Power 99 FM in Islamabad.. She adds, “Jazba gave me the confidence to do mainstream reporting.”