E VA LUAT ION R E P OR T 2 02 3

Executive summary
Pakistan
Impact study on trauma counseling for journalists
in Pakistan

dw-akademie.com

BackgroundPakistan’s severe ongoing economic
and political crisis has hit the country’s
media industry, once viewed as amongof the most vibrant in South Asia. Since
2018, the situation has been exacerbated,in part, because of a decline in revenue
from paid government advertisements,
and the slow shift from print to muchneeded digital content. As a result, thousands of journalists and media workers
have faced a widespread crisis of layoffs,
pay cuts, unpaid salaries, the shutteringof news outlets, long hours, performancepressure and financial insecurity — allof which lead to financial instability andhamper mental health. The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists noted that over
8,000 of Pakistan’s estimated 20,000 journalists lost their jobs in 2020 alone, andrural and district staff were more likely
to be laid off. Journalists in Pakistan also
work in an environment where freedomof expression is constantly under threat.
Furthermore, journalists are increasinglyfaced with threats, arrests, abductions,physical attacks, torture and censorship,
causing even more psychological harm.
The Pakistani media, particularly TV
channels, are in constant competition
to sensationalize and show violent andfrightening content. As a result, mostjournalists covering violence and distress— typically without adequate training,protection, and support — become vul-nerable to psychological trauma alongside physical and digital threats. In sucha situation, most journalists in Pakistan
are left alone to cope with their traumatic
experiences in a country that has fewerthan 500 psychiatrists for a population ofnearly 220 million.
DW Akademie has been active in Pakistan
since 2010 and engaged in improving
wellbeing since 2014. DW Akademie hasorganized its activities on mental healthin three phases. The first (2015-2017) saw
DW Akademie working with the University of Peshawar, which included the establishment of a Trauma Counseling Center,
where 64 journalists were provided withpsychological counseling, and training
sessions for 15% of journalists based inPeshawar on psychological risks and digital safety.
In the second phase (2018-2020), DWAkademie worked with the Centre of Excellence in Journalism (CEJ) and Individualland (IL) to open up trauma counselling
centers and provide free counselling to
the media community in Karachi andQuetta. By 2020, 154 people had received
counseling, which then continued into
the third phase (2021-2023). The partners
also worked on sensitization sessions,and 177 journalists were trained on psychological safety protocols through Individualland. The center in Karachi closed

down in 2021 due to a lack of financial
support. However, the IL center continues to operate and provide mental healthservices to the media community.
An impact study was commissioned tounderstand the impact of the trauma
counseling and sensitization carried outby Individualland. The study — based on
qualitative means such as focus group
discussions and semi-structured interviews — analyzed the impact of the program on journalists’ wellbeing and ability to report on a story with a feeling ofsafety and freedom. The impact study
also considered any multiplier effects ofthe program on media organizations andtheir leadership, as well as undertaking
a behavior study approach, focusing onchanges in the knowledge, perceptions
and practices of individuals and organizations involved in the project. The study
also took a peripheral view on the counseling and sensitization program undertaken by CEJ. Finally, the study also briefly looked at the program implemented
through Peshawar University to understand its long-term impact.

Impact study results– The counseling program, establishedby Individualland, showed significant
positive outcomes for individuals whoaccessed counseling (reduced somatic
symptoms of stress and anxiety, enhanced emotional and social capabilities, and indications of improved wellbeing). Similarly, CEJ’s counseling program
also showed positive results for thepeople who sought counseling, helping
individuals build resilience and improve
emotional wellbeing.
– The sensitization programs carriedout by Individualland resulted in an increased awareness of mental healthissues within the media community,

helping many to self-identify symptoms
of depression and delayed trauma responses. The sensitization of media
leaders led to increased awareness, although this has not resulted in any sustainable policy changes or protocols toimprove the wellbeing of the community. A few senior individuals within themedia community did however showchanges in their attitudes and practices,such as letting their team decide whether to cover a dangerous situation or byproviding emotional support to theirstaff.
– Sensitization sessions and counseling
resulted in a large number of people en-gaging in healthy coping mechanisms
during a traumatic event or assignment,
however there was no formal implementation of the developed psychologicalsafety protocol.

Selected lessons learned– Although there is high prevalence ofPTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
and trauma, many people sufferingfrom PTSD and trauma did not accessthe counseling provided; the centers
worked more with individuals with generalized anxiety disorders, panic attacks
and other ailments. One reason could bethat the trauma often stems from state
persecution or violence, and journalists
are worried about surveillance and security.
– Although the counseling centers haveshown positive outcomes, their sustainability is in question, as the CEJ center
shut down in 2021.

DW Akademie– The media community as a whole isslowly being to understand the importance of mental health, but still regards
systemic factors such as low salaries,
downsizing, workplace harassment as
the main causes of mental health issues,
indicating that an advocacy-based program could be effective in addressing
some of these challenges.
– Counseling centers remain vulnerable,
struggling with a high demand for mental health services but reduced funding
and outside pressures, and will need toinnovate their approaches in the future.

Selected recommendations– DW Akademie should continue to invest
in mental health services for the media
community, by investing in the training
and capacity-building of psychologists
in Baluchistan and supporting the expansion of mental health services inBaluchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa andKarachi.
– Within the counseling centers, moretrauma-specific therapy such as EMDR
(eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) and TRE (trauma releaseexercises) could be introduced, wherepeople with PTSD or intense trauma canalso seek treatment different from theusual talk therapy. They could also try toconnect people with PTSD to counselors
and psychologists in other cities.
– Partners such as Individualland shouldseek to partner with universities that offer mental health training in other cities,
to learn from their expertise and connect their counselors and psychologists
to the center. Furthermore, they could
develop modules for media students on
mental health and well-being.

– Individualland and CEJ could adopt arevenue-based model, to sustain andexpand their services. It could start byoffering therapy to families and individuals able to pay market rates, which
can then be used to subsidize journalists
who are unable to pay for therapy.
– Building on the existing program andits momentum, Individualland and DW
Akademie could also invest in greater advocacy with other organizations,focusing on the institutionalization ofmental health services and other systemic issues — such as harassment at
the workplace, the attitudes of bosses,
and the lack of understanding between
Baluchistan bureaus and head offices — which cause mental health distress.

is Deutsche Welle's center forinternational media development,journalism training and knowledgetransfer. Our projects strengthen thehuman right to freedom of expression
and unhindered access to information.
DW Akademie empowers people
worldwide to make independent
decisions based on reliable facts andconstructive dialogue.
DW Akademie is a strategic partnerof the German Federal Ministry
for Economic Cooperation andDevelopment. We also receive funding
from the Federal Foreign Office andthe European Union and are active inmore than 70 developing countries
and emerging economies.

CONTAC T
Dr. Laura Moore
Head Research and Evaluation
laura.moore@dw.com
Berlin, Germany

DWAkademie@dw_akademie
DWAkademie
dw.com/newsletter-registration
dw.com/mediadev– CEJ could establish advocacy groups forwomen journalists, peer to peer support
groups with women trained to lead discussion groups and to identify womenin trouble. This could ensure the participation of more women journalists andmedia workers.

The objective of the external evaluation is to provide a constructive assessment of the project results. It does not necessarily align with theperspective and planning of DW Akademie. Nevertheless, all findings were discussed in order to allow lessons learned to be incorporated into
the development of future strategies.