New Delhi, March 21: National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar called upon mediapersons to try moving beyond mere reportage to fostering awareness, safeguarding dignity and promoting gender justice, an official said on Saturday. Speaking at Media Manthan, a two-day National Journalist Meet that concluded at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in the national capital, Rahatkar said, “Gender-sensitive reporting is a commitment to dignity, truth, and justice — where women’s voices are respected, not sensationalised.”
The NCW Chief encouraged journalists to act as catalysts for change and become strong, responsible voices for women empowerment. The event brought together print and digital media professionals from across the country, with participation from journalists representing more than 20 states and Union Territories, to deliberate on responsible, ethical, and gender-sensitive reporting on women’s issues.
“An interactive discussion enabled participants to share success stories, identify challenges, and highlight gaps and best practices in reporting on women across different regions,” the statement said. “The initiative aimed to strengthen the role of media as a vital partner in promoting dignity-based narratives, ensuring legal awareness, and encouraging informed and sensitive coverage of issues concerning women,” it said.
The meet served as a dynamic platform for journalists, editors, legal experts, and media practitioners to engage in meaningful dialogue on the challenges, responsibilities, and evolving opportunities in reporting on women. The event was attended by Member Secretary Sudeep Jain and Additional Secretary Radhika Chakravarthy. During the inaugural session, two publications were released — “True Cyber Sakhi” by Truecaller and “Reporting with Dignity” by the National Commission for Women.
Both have been designed to guide media professionals towards ethical reporting practices and safer digital engagement. The Media Manthan conference featured a thematic session on Media Law and Ethical Framework by Pinky Anand, Senior Advocate at Supreme Court of India, and NCW Committee Member, highlighting legal boundaries and ethical responsibilities in media reporting.
A session on Laws Related to Women by Manmohan Verma, NCW Law Officer, provided insights into legal safeguards for women and the implications of media coverage. Discussions during a session on “Media in Transition, Women in Transformation: Portraying with Dignity, Depth and Diversity” by Pragya Paliwal Gaur, Indian Institute of Mass Communication Vice-Chancellor, focused on the evolving narrative frameworks in media. A session on Language, Framing and Reporting Practice led by Swaty Gupta emphasised the critical role of language in shaping public perception and responsible storytelling, the statement said.
IANS
