Srinagar: A two-day workshop on Media and Gender Monday started in Kashmir Universitys Gandhi Bhawan Auditorium. The workshop was organized by Universitys Media Education Research Centre (MERC) in collaboration with Population First, a Mumbai based NGO.
Supported by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the first day of the workshop was attended by many journalists, administrators, academicians, legal experts and a number of media students. The workshop over the course of two days aims to elaborate on gender sensitive reporting in media and also lay focus on falling sex ratio.
Welcoming the guests and participants, Coordinator MERC, Faruq Masudi endeavoured to make the workshop participative and result oriented.
In his keynote speech, Naseer Ganai, a noted journalist with India Today Group emphasised on how local media lacked in reporting woman issues since there was a dearth of female journalists in the profession.
There has been lesser work done on projection of woman psychology, her thoughts, and her aspirations in Kashmir. My journalism colleagues and editors in New Delhi ask me why they do not see stories that talk about what women want in Kashmir? observed Ganai.
Ganai also spoke about the lack of basic facilities for female journalists in the valley.
You would hardly come across a newspaper office here which has separate washrooms or workspaces for women, how do you expect a female journalist to work on a challenging beat when she is not sure about a separate cab drop to her home late in the evening? added Ganai.
Director Population First Dr A.L Sharda emphasised on the positive change local and national media houses can bring by covering women-centric issues.
I have full faith that all of you present here will see you regular stories from all the perspectives, that you can give bring in a fresher perspective that encapsulates all the viewpoints, Dr Sharda said while addressing the participating journalists.
On the occasion, District Magistrate Srinagar, Dr Haneef Balkhi said that gender bias and exploitation was a human defect.
Nature has amply offered roles to both the genders however any exploitation as such happens only when humans deviate from the basic laws and put forward their own defective ideas, he said.
He also spoke about government initiatives like Laadli Beti and other schemes.
On the occasion, Deputy Superintendent of Police J&K Police Nighat Aman said that women are strong enough to brace various roles in the society and rub shoulders with men.
I was one of the first female officers in J&K Police back in 90s, the job has made me stronger and given a position of advantage and acceptance, Aman said.
Zehru-un-Nissa, Senior Correspondent Greater Kashmir said the administration and legal system in Kashmir have not been able to redress the exploitation of women. A similar point of view was shared by Toyeba Pandit a former Hindustan Times reporter.
Day one of the workshop ended with the word of thanks by Coordinator MERC who termed the sessions insightful and lively but also pointed out that there was a lot of disconnect in some of the core realities and people are caught up in stereotyping genders by following bad research modules.
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