CMYK
CMYK
Dear Friends,
In the 21st century India is emerging as a global power but for half of its
population, the women across the country are still striving to live life with dignity.
Indian women have contributed and excelled in almost every sphere of life and
made country feel proud on every occasion. They are, in fact, leading the
country, and are sources of inspiration for many. The Constitution of India gives
equal rights to all individual including women. However, in reality women in India
are not enjoying equal rights and there is systematic discrimination and neglect
of women in terms of inadequate nutrition, denial or limited access to education,
health and property rights, child labour and domestic violence etc. The fear of
sexual violence has been a powerful factor in restricting women's behavior and
sense of freedom. The struggle against violence is actually the struggle against
the unequal distribution of power both physical and economic between the
sexes.
Media is the mirror image of society, and it is rightly considered the fourth pillar of Indian democracy. Media
reports are reflection of happenings in the society. Media has immense power to influence the masses
and it has been proved so many times in a number of cases in which many women victims got the light
of justice, due to media pressure. Unfortunately, now-a-days media is wavering from its actual role and
only those kind of handpicked stories are highlighted which help them increase their TRP. The attention
required from media is still not being paid to the real issues that concern this section of population.
The mind set of Indian media needs to be sensitized to gender issues and the media must focus on
women issues in a decisive way as they can play a vital role in making women empowerment a reality
in India.
Media should devote appropriate time and space on such important issues as health and nutrition,
education, economic and political issues as well as social and cultural issues to create awareness among
women and the society at large. They should also share information about women's rights and guide the
society so that all round development of women is ensured. Programmes to strengthen women
development should be enforced and news adversely affecting their development should be censored or
banned, so that the dream of women empowerment in India can be realized with the collective support
of media, government and NGOs.
Aparna Singh
Editor