Legislative Measures on Violence Against Women: A Critical Study of The Editorial Caricatures of Mainstream Pakistani English Dailies
Abstract
The study intends to examine, how opinion page illustrations of main stream English dailies depict females’ issues as well as women and men, who characterize in the cartoons are incarnated both individualistically and in association to each other as well as how present the “Women Protection Bill”. Legislative measures on violence against women are directly related to sustainable harmony and peace in society. The study is based on framing theory and researchers’ employed content analysis and semiotic analysis; research methods. The findings show that only 13% editorial caricatures of Dawn and The Nation sketched the women as victim, because of dominating patriarchal society structure. Whereas, the illustrations in The Nation, are being frequently framed gender stereotype roles of women. Though, women protection bill supported by print media but interestingly, editorial illustrations showed “zero tolerance” at religious parties’ suggestions to dilute/revise some of the clauses of legislation for women, as these are, according to Council of Islamic Ideology, contrary to Quran and Sunnah. This paper proposals an imperative insight into how legislation on violence against women delicately portrayed in leading media caricatures. It’s evocative to study the Editorial cartoons; reflect the policy of any news organization and also delicately twist public opinion
Authors
Dr. Nasim Ishaq
Chairperson, Communication Studies Department, Government Fatima Jinnah College (W) Chuna Mandi Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Robina Saeed
Assistant Professor, Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Humanities, Minhaj University Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Khurram Khurshid Loha
Lecturer, Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Humanities, Minhaj University Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Keywords
Editorial Illustrations, Punjab Women Protection Bill, Semiotic Analysis, Women Issues, Gendered Stereotypes