MAN launches handbook, research report on gender sensitive journalism
KATHMANDU/ January 7: Media Action Nepal (MAN) has launched a handbook on ‘Gender Sensitive Journalism’ and a study report on ‘Gender Sensitivity in Nepali Media’ amid a virtual program organized on January 7.
Attended by over 160 participants including 140 journalists covering all provinces and all types of media outlets, the launching ceremony was addressed by Laxman Datt Pant, Chairperson of Media Action Nepal, Mathew Loken, Head, Political, Economic and Public Affairs at High Commission of Canada in Delhi, Kamala Parajuli, Chairperson of National Women Commission of Nepal, Balkrishna Basnet, Chairperson of Press Council Nepal, media experts and researchers.
Launching the reports, Laxman Datt Pant, Chairperson of Media Action Nepal urged media to highlight the issues of gender discrimination and problems arising out of patriarchal power relations and to make the relevant stakeholders accountable. “Giving more space to women and people with different sexual orientations is more urgent than ever. There is a growing need to make the media inclusive by ensuring gender equality through the implementation of the Gender Sensitive Indicators and the Code of Conduct for Journalists”, Pant added.
Highlighting that free and responsible media is a key component of democratic societies and essential to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, Mathew Loken, Councellor and Head, Political, Economic and Public Affairs at High Commission of Canada in Delhi remarked that it is critical that a free press reflects the diverse views of those within society, which includes the perspective of women and girls. MAN’s approach of working closely with industry groups increases the likelihood that there can be immediate and tangible results for advancing women’s empowerment in the Nepali media, he added.
Highlighting that free and responsible media is a key component of democratic societies and essential to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, Mathew Loken, Councellor and Head, Political, Economic and Public Affairs at High Commission of Canada in Delhi remarked that it is critical that a free press reflects the diverse views of those within society, which includes the perspective of women and girls.
The study concluded that Nepali media give less priority to issues of women and people with different sexual orientations. The research found that newspapers and online media in Nepal have not published gender issues as a matter of public importance.
The study concluded that Nepali media give less priority to issues of women and people with different sexual orientations. The research found that newspapers and online media in Nepal have not published gender issues as a matter of public importance.
Out of 21,919 news items published in 20 media outlets, only 76 had bylines of female journalists. This is only about 0.30 percent of the total news published by those media, the study revealed.
Out of the total number of media materials published in those media over the period of two months, only 388 or 1.67 percent news stories are about women and people belonging to different sexual orientations.
Of those 388 about women and people with different sexual orientations, 386 are on women’s issues and only two about sexual minorities.
Aimed at measuring the level of gender sensitivity in media and determining how much and what kind of news content about women and people with different sexual orientations are published in Nepali media, this study assessed a total of 23,515 media contents published by a total of 20 media outlets–three national dailies and three online news portals operating in Kathmandu, and one national daily and one online news portal each from seven provinces.
Out of 21,919 news items published in 20 media outlets, only 76 had bylines of female journalists. This is only about 0.30 percent of the total news published by those media, the study revealed.
The handbook prepared in Nepali language has five specific chapters that cover issues such as gender sensitive indicators in media, approaches to preventing gendered disinformation, mass media’s role in preventing SRHR related violence, gender sensitivity in Nepali media and a roadmap for Nepali newsrooms to be more gender sensitive. This handbook will serve as a resource material for a total of 140 journalists attending training sessions on ‘promoting gender sensitivity in Nepali media’.
Of those 388 about women and people with different sexual orientations, 386 are on women’s issues and only two about sexual minorities.
These activities are the part of the project ‘Promoting gender sensitivity in the media content and newsroom operations through capacity building of journalists in Nepal,’ supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).
The study recommended that media houses must make clear policy arrangements to strengthen diversity, gender identity and inclusion in the workplace. The media can promote gender equality, justice and equality only when the content they produce and the workplace they develop is gender sensitive, it added.