An international body representing women in broadcasting has called on the Al-Jazeera TV news channel to reconsider a controversial ruling after five women presenters walked out after being told to dress more modestly.
The International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT) says the order from a male manager – who allegedly made “offensive remarks” about their appearance - was an insult to the professionalism of senior women journalists.
“This is the 21st Century. We should be judging women on how well they do their job, not on what they wear,” said IAWRT President Olya Booyar.
While she understood employers had a right to set minimum standards of dress for on-camera presenters, reports coming from the network’s headquarters in Qatar showed some male managers were trying to impose unreasonably conservative personal views.
“These are professional women journalists who know and respect their audiences,”
Ms. Booyar said. “They know how to dress properly and they do not need a man insulting their integrity by imposing his personal views.”
She called on women throughout the world to support the five on an important matter of
principle.
The five women who quit are Joumana Nammour, Lina Zahr al-Din and Jullinar Mousa, all from Lebanon, Luna al-Shibl from Syria, and Nawfar Afli from Tunisia.
For further information, please contact the IAWRT Secretariat at secretariat@iawrt.org.
