Meet on media's role in eliminating violence against women held
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, December 07 2012: The patriarchic social set up in India is mean to rule over women by men.

In a state like Manipur violation of women's right by state actors as well as non-state actors are happening on daily basis, said Sobita Mangsatabam, General Secretary of Women for Development (WAD) .

Highlighting some of the infamous cases of crimes against women, Sobita mentioned in her key note address at a "consultative meet on role of media in eliminating violence against women in Manipur" organized by WAD at Imphal Hotel on Friday that based on local media reports (from September 2011 to December 2012) for every 3 minutes, 1 (one) case of crime against women is occurring in Manipur while 1 (one) case of dowry related crime against women is happening for every 77 minutes in the state.

Sobita further said that women are prone to various threats at almost all stages of life; prenatal, infancy, adolescence, reproduction and even in their old aged.

U Nabakishore, General Secretary of United NGO Mission, Manipur, who attended the function as a panel members highlighted how under the guise of mitigating insurgency movement in Manipur, both central and state governments used security forces to suppress people's movement against illegal mining exploration, etc.

Thus, people become voiceless in Manipur.

If we do not oppose such hidden agendas of government then the number of widows, raped victims, widows would only increase in the coming decades.

Participating in the discussion as a resource person, Editor of Huieyen Lanpao (English) Satyajit Usham pointed out that journalists in Manipur lack activism and the dividing line between their professional ethics and professional conducts is always blurred.

Moreover, due to present media set up in the state and lack subject specialization on particular beat, journalists in Manipur are unable to bring a logical solution to any case of crime against women.

Pressures from various sections of the society also act as a hindrance to media's effort towards exposing the root cause of the crime, he added.

Satyajit suggested inclusion of gender issue in school curriculum as one of the means to stop crimes against women in society.

He also stressed on the need for coordination between media and various civil society organizations working in the field.

Y Rupachadra, Correspondent, Seven Sisters Post and A Mobi; President, All Manipur Working Journalist Union attended the consultative meeting as panel members and moderator respectively.

Media personalities like Helendro Maibam, Editor of ISTV; T Ringo Lhungdim, Editor of EIMI Times; Aribam Ibomcha, News Editor of All India Radio; Wahengbam Tikendra Singh, Editor of The People's Chronicle and others also shared their views on the role of media in eliminating crimes against women.

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