In a momentous achievement for Bhutanese media, two female journalists from the country have been honored with the prestigious South Asia Laadli Media and Advertising Awards for Gender Sensitivity (SALMAAGS) for 2024. Damchoe Pem and Yangyel Lhaden are trailblazers, becoming the first Bhutanese women to receive this accolade, which recognizes outstanding contributions to advancing gender sensitivity across South Asian media.
Damchoe Pem, 34, has been a prominent freelance journalist with over a decade of experience. Her reporting has extensively covered critical issues such as women and children’s rights, LGBTQI matters, employment, crime, gender equality, and the judiciary. In 2023, Pem’s dedication to gender-sensitive journalism was further acknowledged when she won the ‘Best Gender Sensitive Story of the Year’ at the Annual Journalism Award ceremony organized by the Journalists’ Association of Bhutan.
Yangyel Lhaden, 27, joined Kuensel as a reporter in 2020, where she initially focused on stories related to women and children. Although her current work leans towards environmental and conservation issues, Lhaden remains committed to addressing gender topics. She expressed her gratitude, stating, “While our primary role as journalists is to inform the public, there is no greater joy than having your stories read, shared, and recognized. Such awards motivate us to work harder and add value to the work we do every day.”
The SALMAAGS Award, which highlights the media’s role in shaping and advancing gender perceptions, was officially announced on August 1. This year’s awards mark the fourth edition of the event, which spans seven South Asian countries: India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and the Maldives.
The awards are presented by Population First, a Mumbai-based social impact organization committed to promoting gender sensitivity in media. Supported by the UNFPA and in collaboration with South Asian Women in Media (SAWM), the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA), and the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), the ceremony is set to take place at Tata Theatre, NCPA, Mumbai on October 9.
