Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, said that women's participation in all sectors of the society was increasing after the country adopted a republic system of governance.
At a programme organized by Media Advocacy Group (MAG) to unveil a report about status of women journalists reporting on foreign affairs on Monday, Minister Sharma reiterated, "Participation of the women in all State organs has increased after implementation of republic system in the country despite the problems due to social structures and experiences. It is certainly a positive aspect."
According to her, there should be some concession to bring backward and marginalized women into the mainstream. "Comparatively, women are lagging behind men.
Let's pay attention to retain women foraying into journalism and develop their leadership qualities," urged the Minister, also the Spokesperson of the government.
Furthermore, she called for making women journalists competitive and retaining them in the profession. The Minister extended her gratitude to the MAG for conducting survey and four-month long study on women journalists and also the interaction. According to her, the studies conducted on the basis of participants' experiences are factual.
She viewed that if the Mass Media Act was introduced as soon as possible, it would be an important work for all media persons.
She called out the latest trend in journalism where negative tendencies and characters were being established in a glorified manner.
She expressed that the journalism sector held more importance than politics. Similarly, American envoy to Nepal Dean R Thompson asserted that the journalism should be credible for as many as people.
As for the survey and studies conducted by the MAG, he remarked, "How researches are conducted and what kind of methodology is employed in research are important in such report."
He pledged continuous support to such programmes. Likewise, Federation of Nepalese Journalists' President Bipul Pokharel argued that media would become effective by advocating the facts.
He called for the media to maintain the public's confidence by establishing the truth. Nepali Times's editor Kundan Dixit voiced his concern over lack of gender parity in all State organs.
According to him, reporting on foreign affairs did not only mean geo-political reporting.
He opined that increasing the participation women in journalism would also give a good message.
MAG Executive Director Babita Basnet shared that the survey had approached 800 women journalists.
Among them, 500 shared their opinion and based on their opinion, she added, that 23.9 per cent of women were reporting in social beat, 19.5 per cent in women and gender issues, 13.3 per cent in political affairs.
Similarly, 6.6 per cent women reporters were engaged in reporting foreign affairs.
MAG President Anita Bindu vowed to remain active to prod the State to formulate gender-friendly laws. ---
