SAARC Journalist Forum is a non-profit international organization of Journalists, it is called as ‘SJF‘ in short form and full name of organisation is South Asian Association of Reporters Club and Journalists Forum.
Organisation’s vision & mission:
To organise journalists of SAARC region to fight for press and expression freedom and raise the voice of rights of journalists is main aim and mission of this organisation.
As well as SAARC Journalist Forum, SJF’s mission is to strengthen the quality, reach and viability of journalism across all media internationally.
To develop the journalism of South Asia, to promote their quality of life, to promote towards mutual trust, understanding and appreciation of the problems of one another.
SAARC Journalist Forum is recognized as a regional journalist body by South Asian journalist member states of SAARC.
The rationale behind creation of SAARC Journalist Forum of the SAARC countries was to promote journalism, to develop, promotion, networking, policy reforms and achieve common objectives in the areas of SAARC countries.
Founded Date :
SAARC Journalist Forum, SJF was founded in 2019 A.D. and registered under Government of Nepal and India by group of award winning senior journalists, reporters and editors of SAARC countries.
Founder Members:
1) Senior journalist of Nepal Mr. Raju Lama
3) Senior journalist of Bangladesh Mr. Md Abdur Rahman
Founder Executive Committee Members:
Founder Executive Committee Members of SJF
- President : Raju Lama, Nepal
- Vice President :
- General Secretary : Md Abdur Rahman, Bangladesh
- Secretary : Khalil Omaid, Afghanistan Treasurur : Saghirahmed Qamar, Pakistan
- Members :
- Rinzin Wangchuk, Bhutan
- Amila Balasooriya, Srilanka
- Ismail Shahu, Maldives
Membership:
Journalists from member states includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka can take membership of Forum.
Membership of Forum should be proposed by Central Board Committee and approved by Executive Committee but for first term Executive Committee is responsible for membership.
SAARC Journalist Forum is recognized as a regional journalist body of South Asian journalists member states of SAARC.
Goals and Objectives:
- Raise the voice and fight for press and expression freedom and rights of journalists in SAARC region.
- To unite all the members engaged in the profession of journalism in South Asia, to promote their professional excellence and to make them aware of their rights and dignity.
- Preservation and improvement of the freedom of journalism working in newspapers and news organizations published in Bengali, English, Hindi, Urdu, Nepali and many other languages of South Asia. 4) To provide assistance to those engaged in the profession of journalism for the development of professional standards, development of independence and non-communal consciousness, art-literature-culture, practice of knowledge and science and development of talents in these fields.
- To try to organize the visits of journalists at home and abroad for the development of talent, thinking and knowledge science and to invite inter-regional and foreign journalists for the development of mutual goodwill and understanding.
- To undertake various international programs including training workshops for the professional development of the members.
Formation of Executive Committee:
There will be an Executive Committee to manage the activities of organisation. The Executive Committee will carry out all the work for the implementation of its ideas, objectives and goals on behalf of the organisation.
The Executive Committee shall be deemed to be the highest empowered council of the organisation for the implementation of its aims and objectives.
The Executive Committee shall be constituted for a term of three years. The Executive Committee will consist of eight members from eight SAARC countries.
Executive committee will elect as follows in every three years from international journalists convention or conference :
President : One
Vice President : One
General Secretary : One
Secretary : One
Treasurer : One
Executive Members : Three Central Board Members:
Every one country will elect five person as a Central Board member total 40 person will be elected. Five person will elect from every country’s by international conference as a board member of journalists of SAARC countries.
Central Board member are responsible as central members of Forum and they will support on policy making to Executive Committee and it will mobilise organisation centrally.
Country Chapters :
We can form Country Chapter of all SAARC countries with minimum 7 and maximum 35 members committee with President One, Vice President One, General Secretary One, Secretary One, Treasurer One with remaining other members.
If country chapter is just 7 committee members then there will be President One, Secretary One and Five members.
Country Chapter is responsible to form State Chapter, District Chapter and to distribute general membership of organisation. Membership should be approve by executive committee.
International journalist conference and convention:
Executive committee and Central Board member of SJF will responsible to international journalists conference and convention which will be held on every three years.
Country Chapter will do their convention or conference once in every three years to elect the country committee. Meeting will be held on their own decision but conference should be approve by executive committee.
For first term Central Board Members and participants of International conference will be nominated by Executive Committee.
Participants and numbers of journalists of International conference will be proposed and selected by Central Board Committee and approved by executive committee with mutual understanding.
Constitution of Forum can be amendments by International Journalists Conference. Executive Committee will propose amendments of constitution of Forum if needed in International Journalists Conference.
Meeting of Executive Committee should be held once on three months, Central Board meeting once in a year and International Journalists Conference once in three years regularly.