Women should work hand-in-hand with men - states Information Commissioner Timsina


Kathmandu, March 25: Information Commissioner Yashoda Devi Timsina argued that women should work hand-in-hand with men to achieve gender equality in all sectors, including media rather than adhering to radical feminism.
Taking part as one of the key speakers at a discussion programme on 'Women in Media' organized by an all-women forum, Aahwahan, here today, Information Commissioner Timsina weighed in on co-existence and urged women media to carve out their own niche, securing support from their male counterparts rather than shunning them.
 Recalling her time as one among the few women media person working in a national media, Timsina who served in various capacities in the news room in her around two-decade journalism career in Nepali media, recalled that media were hostile to women then and no less hostile now-a-days.
Her understanding is that the news written by male journalist would not sensitize the women's issue rather sensitizing them. She reasoned that this situation stemmed out of the situation due to male dominance in top management and culture of corporate news house.
      Some two dozen women, mostly media persons and literary figures, and men, mostly scholars attending the discussion engaged in extensive discussion on issues relating to participation of women workforce in media, use of sexiest language in media and objectifying women among others.
 Of the total around 10 thousand journalists registered with Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), women constitute 16 percent. The country currently has 580 FM stations, 28 TV stations and 548 online media in operation.
      Similarly, litterateur Krishna Dharabashi spoke of the need for the women in the country, who account for more than 50 per cent of the total population, to armor themselves with education, awareness, and progressive thoughts for their social, economic and political development
.
Likewise, a young media person with a national English daily, requesting anonymity shared that in lack of gender-friendly policies and infrastructures at her work place, she and her female colleagues feels discouraged to work with sense of dignity and equality.
She argued that egality at media houses would be a pipe dream unless media houses are owned and run by females and women take over top positions in the management besides putting in place gender-sensitive policies and strictly enforcing them .