Strong, Serious Journalism for Yemeni Women, Emphasized [Archives:2000/38/Reportage]

Nona Sad Ali,
Sanaa
A training course for Yemeni female journalists was concluded last week at the Science and Technology University. The 4-day course was attended by more than 20 female Yemeni journalist from various Yemeni newspapers. The journalists listened to a number of lectures on journalism, editing and production of woman pages in newspapers newspapers, and information on techniques of writing press news items.
The course was organized by the World women union through its regional office in Sanaa. The leading lecturers in the course was Dr. Mohammed Farid Izat, former lecturer in the college of information in Cairo. He worked as a journalist for the Egyptian Al-Ahram newspaper during the 60s and 70s. Also taking part in giving lectures was Mr. Nashwan Md Al-Sameri, the information advisor to the union.
Yemen times attended the course and met with the lecturers and many of the course trainees to know about the usefulness of the course and and filed this report:
Mrs. Tagrid Shihab, Secretary-general of the Arab regional office of the Islamic world womens union talked about the aims of the course and the mechanism of selecting the trainees. The course aims to qualify the trainees at techniques of press production and editorial skills. This is especially important that some do not hold an Information or journalism degree and some need experience.
It aims to improve journalistic skills of the trainees and give them more information on their fields. The course is also meant for the exchange of experience and practical information to aid them in field work. We also aimed to realize the needs and to overcome the difficulties faced by them. To confirm the belief that the Yemeni woman is no less than others in other parts of the world, and has good potential and talents. And with sufficient training and practice she could make use of those talents and utilize her potentials, leading to a marvelous future.
As for selection of the trainees, we contacted all government and non-governmental information media and all local newspapers to provide us with their nominees. The names were filled in a form which we sent to them, we made use of a list we obtained for the ministry of information as well. Some newspapers replied that they did not have a female element and some nominated typists so that we had to explain clearly that what we needed were the women working in the editorial and writing departments.
Mr Nashuan Mohammed Al-Sameri, one of the lecturers at the course said, I have noticed that some of woman pages allocated in Yemeni newspapers take up topics that concern women in Yemen like health, political and educational but most are lack in variety. Also most of the times the layout is carried out by a technical editor according to rules that may not portray exactly what the writer wanted to convey to the readers.
Mr. Al-Sameri added the degree of benefiting from the course is very obvious for the participants either through discussions or through practical work or even through the way they expressed their satisfaction with the course. There were many additions but most evident is the practical training for press production and technical editing.
He said: We do not claim that the course has found substitutes for the shortcomings in family pages concerned with women. But it did bring new views to notice and whats more important it brought to attention the editor of the woman page should participate in choosing the the topic and designing the plan of the page.
Trainee Nabilah Saeed Ghalib, editor in the Al-Sahwa newspaper said:
I believe that every participant will not come unless she feels that she will benefit from her attending the course. And I especially have realized this benefit particularly since that I have not graduated for the college of information. She also added: The improvement that I am willing to implement in my job in the paper is the layout of the page as well as the written material and suitable design of the page.
Muzna Al Hubaishi, Information director at the Higher Council for Motherhood and and Childhood has said This course has developed my style in modern press production which we came to learn in several ways through this course. And now, through my job as information director, I am planning an idea for issuing a quarterly bulletin for the council concerned with mother and child issues. She added: I have come to know in this course about the new ways for technical production of pages and the solutions and methods that help in producing an attractive and exciting matter.
Sawsan Ali, a journalist in the Al-Nur Magazine mentioned that the benefit from the course is great especially regarding the editorial part. And said that no doubt she would use what she had learnt to produce a better material from the editorial as well as the layout point of views.
Samiha Ahmed Mufleh, journalist in the Al Umah newspaper, said that she learnt a lot from the course and that it helped her understand many new aspects regarding technical production of the womens page in her paper.
A journalist in both Almarah and Adem and Hawaa newspapers Samira Abdullah Al-hitar, told Yemen Times:
I came to know any of the methods and styles for writing and editing and I have developed a good idea about the improvement in all the pages and issues that concern women and children. As for improving my own style, I think that I will do my best and in terms of the papers policy that I am working for, but no doubt that I will work on changing to the better.
She added: Its natural that when one learns something new that it is put to practice in ones field. As for what new information she has come out with from the course she said:
A good press layout and production is a basic tool used to attract the reader to what the paper has in store for him. The style in which the paper is designed and the way it is displayed in the market also play important factor in drawing the readers attention towards the paper. I learnt many new rules for technical editing and I learnt more methods and techniques in the way women pages are written , especially that I work on such pages and do a lot of field work and reports on such issues.
She concluded: I have to thank the information department in the regional office of the Arab Homeland in Sanaa because of organizing the course and the care taken for its success which we have felt. I also would like to thank Mr. Md Izat and Mr. Nashwan Al-Samiri who made my dream of learning more about my job come true. I also felt happy seeing the good spirit which I shared with my colleagues and was impressed with the inspiration and motivation for a better understanding regarding all that has been taught in the course.
Woman journalism still remains in need of more attention in the media world generally. Many newspapers policy still does not allow women journalism to take part or to discuss mother and child issues as it should. Also many papers still view the woman page for entertaining and does not take the women issues seriously.
The truth forces itself again that the female journalism should not be ignored like what is happening, it is also known that there is no official paper headed by a woman.

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