Journalist Nur Hamza: I promised myself to never bow down to harassment when I started my career
Journalism is a difficult job in the Middle East for both male and female journalists. But if you are a female journalist, it is more difficult. Nur Hamza has worked as a journalist and a television broadcaster in Baghdad for seven years. She promised herself to never bow down to harassment when she started her career by refusing the “beauty standards” of media outlets.
XOFRAN EL-RADÎ
Baghdad- Nur Al-Hamza is a 34-year-old brave journalist. She has worked as a television broadcaster for Ar TV Channel. “I refuse the selection of women according to beauty standards of media outlets,” Nur Al-Hamza told us while talking about her journalistic journey. She highlighted that journalists, particularly women journalists, have faced dozens of problems in the Middle East.
“I will never bow down to harassment…”
Nur Hamza became a journalist seven years ago. The following words of Nur Hamza show the challenges faced by women journalists; “I was shocked by the blackmail that women were subjected to in the media. I have witnessed many immoral acts against women. I have also witnessed that many unaware women accepted immoral proposals. After seeing women, who were victims of harassment and exploitation, I actually got angrier and I decided to do my best for my profession. I promised myself ‘to never bow down to harassment’…”
“Women journalists have difficulties in finding jobs”
Nur Hamza highlighted that the favoritism directs many people to present rubbish programs, “This causes women journalists to have difficulties in finding jobs in this atmosphere due to the confusion and discrimination. Women journalists really have difficulties in finding jobs, especially quality jobs. The sponsors and channels don’t choose women according to their abilities but women who graduated from beauty centers. And this issue prevents us from developing journalism. In fact, it causes our profession and society to push back because it affects the awareness of societies. These programs particularly affect the young people.”
“I want to put my signature under many projects”
Nur Hamza told us that she wants to put her signature under many projects in the future but she has many priorities, “I want to produce more programs that encourage women, who produce and drive society to production. I want to produce more programs that will raise the awareness of women. I want to see more programs that give more spaces for women in my country and in the Middle East. I am looking forward to presenting such kind of program.”
“Women can break down the prejudices”
Nur Hamza emphasized that a woman who wants to enter the media sector must have a strong and influential personality and work hard to achieve her goals, “Women can break down the prejudices and social bias.”