Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 17 2010:
Editor of the Ereibak daily Irengbam Arun has exhorted media persons to be sensitive and persevering while reporting on women and children issues.
Arun was speaking as a resource person at the Consultative Meeting on Role of Media in Combating Violence Against Women organised by the Women Action for Development (WAD) at Hotel Imphal today.
In a patriarchal society, women encounter different forms of violence starting at home.
In addition, the existing armed conflict situation caused more violence to women and children.
Citing the case of 11 year old Bidyarani of Arong Nongmaikhong who was confined to police custody for four days because security forces could not arrest her parents, Irengbam Arun said that reporters should be sensitive to the trauma and mental suffering endured by the young girl.
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Reporters should ask questions carefully and try to elicit facts and details kept undisclosed by the young girl, if there is any.
In the same manner, media persons should understand the trauma suffered by a rape victim while covering any such incident, Arun said.
In case, the media persons are not sensitive to the feelings and suffering of such victims of violence and rape, media reports on incidents involving the victims may cause more embarrassment and mental agony to the victims.
Otherwise, the victims may choose to conceal the facts and circumstances of the incidents out of fear and shame, he said.
The consultative meeting was attended by theatre director Birjit Ngangomba as chief guest, Prof Ksh Bimola as president and ISTV Editor Yumnam Rupachandra as guest of honour.
Addressing the meeting, Birjit Ngangomba divided a woman's life into three phases.
First, the period of childhood, second, the period after marriage and the last, period of growing old.
The second period is very crucial in a woman's life.
Prof Bimola stressed on the pivotal importance of women's mental strength for their empowerment.
A woman can fight for the rights entitled to her only when she realise the power inherent within herself.
Only then, she can live her life with dignity.
Regardless of gender, each and every individual should respect and uphold their rights.
To enable women understand and uphold their rights, proper education should be imparted to all women, she asserted.
Yumnam Rupachandra said that the concept of women looking down upon themselves should be done away with.
Gender Journalist Award instituted by the WAD since 2007 was also distributed during the consultative meeting.
Bedajit Kakchingtabam of the Ereibak bagged first prize of the Gender Journalist Award 2009.Ng Liklaileima Arambam of the Sangai Express and Premchand of the Poknapham won second and third prizes respectively.
Sanajaoba of the Huiyen Lanpao and Salam Hemchandra of the Paojel were also honoured with consolation prizes.
Besides certificates, citation and other articles produced by the Helping Hand Centre, the award has cash incentives of Rs 10,000, Rs 7000 and Rs 5000 for the first, second and third prizes respectively.
The consolation prizes carry Rs 1000 each.