Zubeida Mustafa, Pakistan
2012 Lifetime Achievement Award
Zubeida Mustafa speaks modestly about her 33 years as a journalist in Pakistan, where she worked through extreme political instability, media censorship, gender barriers and social upheaval as the assistant editor of Dawn, a widely-respected English-language daily newspaper.
Her optimism sometimes subverts the challenges she faced as the first woman to work in mainstream media in her country and as a pioneer in reporting seriously on women’s issues, as well as politics, education, health and culture.
Her thorough, facts-based reporting and editorial writing earned the respect of her colleagues and many in the political and diplomatic communities. It also landed criticism from those who thought the subjects she chose were trivial, or even offensive.
“The attitude was, ‘if it’s not so important, let the woman do it,’ Mustafa said, “but I turned that to my advantage.”
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News anchor Judy Woodruff and Maria Shriver present the
2012 Lifetime Achievement Award to Zubeida Mustafa
Judy Woodruff presents the 2012 IWMF Lifetime Achievement Award
to Zubeida Mustafa in New York, October 24, 2012
"Zubeida Mustafa has been a journalist in Pakistan for 33 years. As the assistant editor of Dawn, a widely-respected English-language daily newspaper, she has worked through extreme political instability, media censorship, gender barriers and social upheaval.
Maria Shriver
in Los Angeles, October 29, 2012
She began her career in the 1970’s, when Pakistan was not an easy place for anyone: The first democratic elections since independence were held, but the military leadership refused to hand over power. The country fought its third war with India, in which hundreds of thousands died. A constitution was written in 1973 and suspended four years later, when civilian rule ended
with a military coup. Nuclear weapons were developed.
The late 80s and early 90s hosted a period of extreme instability in the country, as relations with neighboring India deteriorated and domestic politics were marred by corruption.
As the first woman in Pakistani mainstream media, Zubeida Mustafa covered it all. Mustafa’s was a pioneer reporting seriously on women’s issues, as well as politics, education, poverty, health and culture during a time when such matters weren’t discussed – certainly not by a woman. She says, ““The attitude was, ‘if it’s not so important, let the woman do it, but I turned that to
my advantage.”"
Download full speech (pdf)
Zubeida Mustafa at the
2012 Courage in Journalism Award ceremony
Zubeida Mustafa accepts 2012 IWMF Lifetime Achievement Award
in New York, October 24, 2012
Zubeida Mustafa: "I feel greatly honored to be here to receive this award. I receive this award also on behalf of all my fellow journalists in Pakistan who have struggled collectively for years for press freedom which created the space for me to write on issues that are close to my heart, which made this award possible.
Also deserving recognition are the women journalists in my country who followed the path I charted out for myself. Thus they honored me and helped me earn the description of a “pioneer”.
I feel humble before my fellow professionals here who have won the courage in journalism awards. They risked their lives and freedom and deserve our admiration. Many years ago in 1994, a very dear friend and colleague of mine, the late Razia Bhatti,
also won this honor and that is how the IWMF was introduced to Pakistan. We learnt about the good work the IWMF is doing to encourage female journalists to realize their full potential."
Download full speech (pdf)
Read also: First-ever Journalism Award for Women Journalists in Pakistan: Introducing the Zubeida Mustafa Award for Journalistic Excellence - March 29, 2013