"I am a woman in process. I'm just trying like everybody else. I try to take every conflict, every experience, and learn from it. Life is never dull."- Oprah Winfrey

Uks was the first Civil Society Organization in Pakistan to launch a radio production house in July 2003. The most noteworthy feature of Uks Radio Project is that an all female team of journalists and broadcasters runs it. In their efforts towards rectifying stereotypical and discriminatory societal attitudes through media, radio promised to be a most effective and far-reaching medium in a country with an abysmally low literacy rate and the non-availability of television transmission in remote areas.

Uks has since its inception started several programmes targeting different societal issues as well as different sections of the population.

MERI AWAZ SUNNO

In October 2003 Uks launched "Meri Awaz Sunno" (Listen to my Voice) a 15-minute, bi-weekly women's radio programme in Urdu, becoming the first radio programme in Pakistan for women and by women. The Programme was a collaboration between Uks Radio Project and Internews Pakistan and was broadcast from different FM stations throughout the country. Over a span of a year, the production team produced 47 programmes on a variety of issues primarily pertaining to women. 

GHURBAT, AMN AUR INSAF-EIK TIKON (the Triangle of Poverty, Peace and Justice)

In June 2004, Uks in collaboration with The Asia Foundation has produced a series of 0 radio programmes under SDDP (Supporting Democratic Development in Pakistan). ased on issues of and around Democracy and Good Governance, the programmes are a combination of issues and entertainment, social discussion and music besides providing a vehicle for the variety of voices and opinions previously unheard on our radio channels.

MUJHE BOLNEY D0 (Let me Speak)

In November 2005,Uks in collaboration with Mama Cash, an organization of the Netherlands produced a series of 16 programmes on issues related to violence against women. These radio programmes received a tremendous response from the FM stations that were flooded with calls and letters by both men and women. Issues covered in these programmes were burnt victims, acid throwing, honor killings, emotional violence, showbiz and sexual violence, women political representatives, harassment at work places, performing arts, domestic workers and violence in educational institutions.

Pani ki Kahani, Aurat ki Zubani" (Water and Women Issues)

In March 2006, Uks in collaboration with Panos, Kathmandu produced a series of 10 radio programmes of 15-minute duration each. Based on issues of and around water and women, these programmes highlighted many areas of this critical issue and explored ways of mainstreaming gender in water issues as well as promote gender equity. Issues covered in this particular series included water and migration, water and women's employment, mobility, water and the workload of women, hygiene, health especially unsafe drinking water and water related natural disasters etc.

CHALO PHIR SE MUSKORAEN  (Let's smile again)

In March 2006, Uks in collaboration with the Asia Foundation produced a series of 15 persuasive and powerful radio programmes produced on location in the disaster-hit areas to mobilize the public for their continued support for the rehabilitation and rebuilding (physical infrastructure as well as spirits) of recent earthquake survivors. Uks felt this intervention necessary as media's initial interest had largely waned in the months following the earthquake. What distinguished this series amongst the other coverage that had been awarded to the calamity was its blend of investigative journalism with accounts of the affected people. It covered issues such as devolution, Health, Water, Emotional Health & Disability, Peace Process, Land Reform, Gender / Governance, Devolution, Education, Military Economic Role, Role of Commercial Sector in Rehabilitation of survivors and the Success stories of the earthquake survivors.

Uks- reflections on the project

Besides promoting radio programmes in Pakistan (production as well as listener ship) Uks radio project tries to give a platform to the common people –specially the marginalized- to raise their concerns. It also provides an alternative to other women's programmes, which usually portray women in stereotypical ways. Uks's issue-based programmes take up many issues that are of interest to the general population in Pakistan including those that are important but unconventional. The radio programmes make use of different segments, namely, interviews, features, discussions and vox pops to provide a developmental perspective to issues that aim at information-dissemination and empowerment of women.
Another highlight of the project and indeed the team is their proficiency at working in different capacities. The team successfully handles the many different aspects of broadcast journalism from concept creation to scriptwriting, presenting, research, editing and the handling of all technical features.

• Equipping Uks with radio production facilities

As a result of the yearlong project with Internews Uks, is now the only Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) in Pakistan, which owns its own production house. The production facility also complements Uks efforts in fostering awareness rising in the print media as well.

• Training of women radio producers

Uks feels that one of the major reasons for stereotypical and derogatory projection of women in the Pakistani media is the extreme under representation of women in the media as journalists and broadcasters. By training a team of women journalists and heading an all female production house, Uks has contributed in its own way to rectifying the under representation of women and hopes that this trend catches on.  

Contact: tel: 92 51 2850906 or email uks@comsats.net.pk