Women journalists gather in Kuwait to boost Gulf cooperation
KUWAIT: A gathering in Kuwait of women journalists from across the Gulf region is part of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s plan of forging better ties with regional countries, said a minister yesterday. Kuwait and its Gulf neighbors have always shared an impenetrable bond, Information Minister Mohammad Al-Jabri said amid the talks, organized by the Kuwaiti Journalists Association (KJA), pointing out that women have started to make a name for themselves in the field of journalism. With the bewildering advancements in technology seen in recent years, the media has taken on an increasingly significant role, added the minister, highlighting the importance of ethical journalism given the spread of fake news and misinformation. On the talks, the Kuwaiti information minister said it presents the participants with an opportunity to exchange ideas in a bid to further their journalistic careers. Such gatherings are tantamount to women’s empowerment, said Adnan Al-Rashid, the secretary of the Kuwait Journalists Association, emphasizing the major progress women journalists have made in the Gulf region. Rabaa Al-Jumaa, a member of KJA’s Board of Trustees, agreed that the talks are crucial and allow women journalists in the Gulf the chance to “create a positive change” in the field of journalism, which in turn, ensures that the local media would continue to flourish. Women are now on equal footing with men, narrowing the gender gap in a region that remains highly patriarchal, according to KJA chief Fatma Hussein, signifying women’s growing omnipresence. The talks shine light on matters dealing with the rise of women in the field of journalism, including some of the challenges they have had to encounter.