Scroll Journalist Rokibuz Zaman Wins 2025 Laadli Media Award for Gender Sensitivity

Scroll journalist Rokibuz Zaman has been honoured with the 2025 Laadli Media Award for Gender Sensitivity in the English web news report category. He received the award for his detailed report on a Guwahati disc jockey who was allegedly held captive by her family to prevent her marriage to a Kashmiri Muslim man. His story highlighted how police in Assam, Maharashtra, and Meghalaya failed to register an FIR despite multiple complaints filed by the woman’s partner.

According to the award citation, Zaman was recognised for “spotlighting a chilling case of family control and police apathy in obstructing an inter-faith marriage, and for foregrounding the urgent need to uphold women’s agency and choice.”

Instituted in 2007 by Population First with support from the United Nations Population Fund, the Laadli Media Awards honour journalists and creators who promote gender sensitivity in news and advertising.

Zaman had also won the award in 2024 for his coverage of the impact of Assam Police’s 2023 crackdown on child marriage, which resulted in widespread family disruptions.

In addition, Scroll’s Johanna Deeksha received a jury citation this year for her report on restrictions imposed on women workers at Foxconn’s iPhone manufacturing facility in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.