Meet on media and COVID-19 – A gender perspective held in Guwahati

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The demand for a 'pledge of parity' to ensure equal opportunity for women in workplace and greater task-sharing among all genders at homes was raised at a meet on the theme 'Media and COVID 19 – A Gender Perspective' organized by Gender Council and Journalists' Union of Assam (JUA), to discuss the challenges and possibilities in wake of the 'new normal' thrown up by the pandemic.

Attended by several journalists, including Union members, based in Guwahati, the meeting discussed the problems faced by journalists in general, with focus on women journalists in the COVID 19-created situation, and raised a clarion call for the need to unite to lend strength to their voices.

Participating through the virtual mode from New Delhi, Sabina Inderjit, vice-president of International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and secretary general of Indian Journalists' Union (IJU), stressed on more work-sharing options for women, including at home.

Citing data from a survey conducted among women journalists across 50 countries, she said that it was found that stress level among the women journalists has increased manifold during the ongoing pandemic as they are having to multi-task more compared to the pre-pandemic atmosphere.

Geetartha Pathak, president of IJU and JUA State committee, spoke on the need for journalists to unite, focusing on the thrust by the IJU on ensuring equal participation of women in all its activities.

The unprecedented crisis also threw up opportunities for the journalists to perform their duties more diligently, which also drew appreciation from the editors and even promotions and greater responsibilities within their organizations in a couple of cases, as shared by a few women journalists during the interaction.

Setting the agenda for the meet, Gender Council president Samim Sultana Ahmed urged the women journalists to be assertive in their professional careers and work in a determined manner to establish themselves.

She highlighted the need for the women journalists to unite and stand in solidarity with each other at all times.

Duina Barbaruah, organizing secretary, Gender Council, JUA, welcomed the guests at the onset and spoke on the objective of the meet, which was coordinated by Sushmita Goswami, general secretary, Gender Council, JUA, and also attended by Ratan Luwang, a senior journalist from Manipur.

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