Every year, from November 25 to December 10, the global campaign 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence (GBV) runs around the world. It starts on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and ends on the International Human Rights Day.
The campaign was first launched by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership in 1991, and since then helps to raise voice against GBV at the local, national, regional and international levels.
In 2020, the Campaign focuses on increasing efforts to enhance the role of women working in the informal economy. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent economic difficulties, the massive lockdowns have led to income losses and increased cases of domestic violence against women and girls.
Having gender equality as a cross-cutting priority, UNESCO supports communities worldwide in deconstructing stereotypes and addressing violent patterns of behavior and mentalities.
As part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence Campaign, the UNESCO Tashkent Office shares with its readers a motivational story of Ms Lola Kallikhanova, a journalist from the Republic of Karakalpakstan who is successful in her work and fully committed to it.
Ms Lola Kallikhanova, founder and chief editor of the Makan.uz information portal. Participant in a number of UNESCO’s trainings on journalism.
Lola, please tell us about yourself. In what fields have you tried yourself before and how have you come to what you are doing now?
I am 31 years old. After graduation in 2010 and a short internship at the university newspaper of Karakalpak State University, I worked as a proofreader for the scientific journal «Vestnik». In 2011-2012, when criticism was unusual for the press, I wrote critical articles on acute social issues for the «Perekrestok» newspaper in parallel with my main work. I admit I was afraid that those critical articles could lead me into trouble. That's what happened: I had to leave after such article, which was not finally signed by myself.
During my master's studies, I was already married and after graduation I moved to live with my husband in the Chimbai district, where life tested my strength. Of course, I adapted to the rural environment, but I did not want to stay there. That was particularly true after my husband went to Kazakhstan to work in 2014, having left me alone to look after his parents and to run the household.
I could not go away to earn money with him because it was against the traditional principles of our society which offended me very much. The family life did not work out: his parents did not like his independent daughter-in-law, and he took their side. The problem of childlessness added to this, and quarrels began on this basis as well. The last straw was my husband's words that I was a woman with a "defect" and no one would need someone like me. These words deeply hurt me and soon we got divorced.
That' s how my personal life ended and my career began. I decided that no one had the right to hurt, humiliate or blame me for what I was powerless and I told myself that I was born to be happy, loved and not feel like a burden. To get through the divorce, I devoted all my time to work.
I got a job as a press secretary at the Karakalpak Department of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Uzbekistan and gained knowledge and professional experience there, for which I am very grateful to my colleagues.
Then I worked as an editor in the information section of the Nukus-FM radio station. There, I was lucky enough to work with real professionals, including the well-known journalist Bakhytbek Elmanov. Unfortunately, he passed away this year...
Working at the radio station inspired me to create my own information media.
At the time, there was only one information website in Karakalpakstan, KRUZ.uz, which still exists, but unfortunately its founder, Furkat Yusupov, passed away in 2018. He helped me a lot in the beginning of website development. Thus, in December 2016 another information website appeared in Karakalpakstan – Makan.uz.
I was happy to have my own website, to which I devoted most of my time. In 2017, we opened our Telegram Channel (one of the most popular messengers in Uzbekistan, - ed.), to which more than 65 thousand people have subscribed today.
The website was originally conceived as news-related, because people were hungry to get information. However, when we launched the Telegram Bot (chat, - ed.) to receive complaints from citizens, our materials became more analytical and socially significant. There were also critical materials on social and political issues, the coverage of which cost me, for example, the willingness of advertisers to cooperate.
I did not back down, however, and I did not want to be a passive and obedient journalist.
Now the website continues to raise sensitive issues that are of concern to our citizens. I believe that the activities of the Makan.uz media will help people become more competent in personal human rights.
There are studies that confirm the connection between the company's success and the gender balance of employees. How is the situation in your editorial office?
Until November 2020, the website and all its social networks were practically run by myself. But in November, I hired two female students.
Can you describe your style of work? There is a stereotype that women are more emotional than men. Do you agree with this belief?
I work with full commitment, I feel responsible for my website and my employees. I will answer briefly the question about stereotypes: women are emotional. Yes, probably I am emotional too, I cannot be an indifferent observer. However, there are emotional personalities among men as well. Perhaps emotionality is related to a person's upbringing, education, character and mentality, but not to gender itself.
Combating gender discrimination can be difficult because it goes against deep-rooted local traditions. What does it take to shape new traditions and maintain the idea of equality? What role can the media play here?
Karakalpak women did not wear the burka, they fought on an equal footing with men, but we must admit that they experience discrimination. It occurs as physical and psychological violence not only by men, but also by some women in society.
There is a stereotype that if a woman is over 30 and does not have a child, she must either become a second (illegal) wife or have a child for herself, even possibly adopted from an orphanage. I consider these "mental advice" to be discriminatory, because a single woman's life does not end after her 30 and being a second wife means suffering for herself and condemning a first wife to suffering as well.
Having a child for yourself is a violation of the rights of the unborn child, as every child has the right to be a legitimate son/daughter of the father, to have a full family, I believe.
What is needed to create new traditions? It is impossible to change the elder generation, so it is necessary to develop new traditions and promote the ideas of gender equality among the younger generation, to teach them respect and tolerance from childhood.
Media should cover gender equality issues. With their broad reach, they can deliver an important message to people - respecting others, first of all, we respect ourselves.
There is a perception that women's rights are not the most important thing to promote and cover in the media, as there are much more issues that need to be covered, from price hikes to tree felling. What do you say to that? Does your media focus on gender equality?
If you write the words "gender equality", "gender" in articles, most people will simply move on to another topic. Therefore, I never write the word "gender equality" or "gender" in an article or video, but simply raise the problems of women who cannot defend their rights and show their position in society.
Since last year, I have also worked in the Karakalpakstan Republican Department of the Istiqbolli Avlod Social Information Centre as a communications specialist. There, I learned the stories of many women who endure domestic violence and discrimination. There are many migrant workers' wives among them, or they themselves were in this role. The reason for their problems is their low legal literacy and self-esteem, lack of a profession and the belief that in order to keep the family together a woman must endure and sacrifice everything. This is a very relevant issue on the agenda of Makan.uz.
We want to make it clear to women themselves that they have equal rights with men and that they are not a punching bag.
In view of still existing stereotypes about the role of women in society, how is it possible to understand what you are worth and how to find your own way? What kind of advice can you give the girls?
In Karakalpakstan there are no obstacles for women at work, they can work and earn money on an equal footing with men. Moreover, the acute problems of mahalla (district, block, - ed.), villages or a separate district, families are brought up to the highest levels of discussion by women. They ask for help and give or arrange interviews with the media, while men prefer to stay on the sidelines. People have come to realise that many problems and issues can be solved with the help of women.
To understand what you are worth, you just have to start doing/working something, then you will know exactly what you are worth. I have my own officially registered website, and from October 2020 I became an individual entrepreneur and I earn good money. In addition, I have two other students working on the website besides me. In the future, I plan to turn Makan.uz into a media holding company.
I would like to wish all girls and women to study all the time, to know as many languages as possible, be able to stand up for themselves and not humiliate themselves. Never! Work in the field you like, turn your hobby into a profession, believe in yourself - and you will succeed.