The webinar titled “Women on Frontlines of Polio Eradication & Covid-19 Response” was conducted with participants of Balochistan and KP, moderated by Najia Ashar, President GNMI. The participants included Dr. Rubaba Buledi – Member Provincial Assembly from Balochistan, Ayesha Bano – Member Provincial Assembly from KP, Farzana Ali – Senior journalist from KP and Bushra Qamar – Senior journalist from Balochistan. The webinar stressed the need and benefits of enhanced women’s participation in decision-making during polio and covid 19 pandemic in both KP and Balochistan. It also highlighted the importance of women’s contributions in the healthcare sector and media, emphasizing that their voices are essential for covering stories and issues in a gender-sensitive manner.

Another webinar, titled “Remote Reporting, Journalist Safety, and the Threats of Disinformation in the Lights of COVID-19 and Polio,” was moderated by Faisal Karim, a broadcast journalist and anchorperson. The speakers included Attiya Akram, a journalist from Balochistan; Ayesha Bano, Member Provincial Assembly from KP; and Shahab Uddin, a journalist from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This discussion aimed to understand the challenges journalists faced while covering the Covid-19 and polio situations, especially the difficulties in spreading prevention-related messaging in remote areas of Pakistan. The webinar addressed the widespread disbelief in the existence of Covid-19 and polio, the spread of misinformation regarding the Covid-19 vaccine, and how such misinformation fuels mistrust in the government, exacerbating public health challenges.