The need for inclusive newsrooms, equal rights to cover important socio-political issues, and focus on sexual harassment at workplace were some of the issues highlighted at a national conclave of women journalists organised jointly by the Kerala Media Academy and the Network for Women in Media here on Thursday.
Gita Aravamudan, writer and journalist, pointed out in her keynote address that it was the job of society and the government to protect women journalists’ right to do their job. “There are some questions only women can ask.... They have an important role to play in highlighting certain issues,” she said.
Condemning the attack on women journalists who covered the Sabarimala protests in Kerala, Ms. Aravamudan said that their rights to report important issues should be protected.
Another problem that had not received attention was sexual harassment of women journalists at workplace. “A colleague cannot be seen as a sex object, but as a professional,” she said.
Citing #MeToo allegations raised against senior editors, Ms. Aravamudan claimed that some of those charges could be true. Opening the conclave, Vasanthi Hariprakash, journalist and radio anchor, said that the newsrooms in India needed to be more inclusive. At a time when India was regarded as a haven for fake news, she said, journalists should stick to accuracy and fact checking, and exercise restraint in their news coverage.
At the open forum, P. Vinod Bhattathirippad, cyber forensic expert, said that the different types of atrocities being faced by women journalists online were covered in the cyber laws of the country. He said the petitioner should ensure that the evidence of the crime should be produced in the court under Section 65(B) of the Indian Evidence Act.
K.A. Beena, journalist and writer, and Echmukkutty, writer, spoke on women in media and #MeToo allegations.
Participants at the conclave sought protection for women journalists who had raised sexual harassment complaints against their male colleagues. They also demanded that the media organisations provide six months of maternity leave for women journalists. They pointed out that many organisations were still giving only three months of leave with pay and the government should intervene to change this practice.
