Women journalists mostly affected due to COVID-19

Kathmandu - Members of Development and Technology Committee and women journalists have said that women journalists have been mostly affected due to COVID-19. During the discussion with women journalists at the Committee on Monday, they shared that number of women journalists relieved from the job or asking to stay on leave without payment is high.

On the occasion, Committee Chair Kalyani Kumari Khadka said that media owners should not relieve journalists from job or ask to stay on leave without payment in the name of Corona Virus. Khadka shared that the committee has received complaints that the media owners relieved journalists working since a long time from job and recruited new journalists with low salary.

"The women journalists, who have spent their energetic time in journalism field, have to restart their career from zero level in other sector if media houses relieve them from their job." Similarly, Committee member Ganesh Kumar Pahadi shared that the working journalists act has not been implemented in an effective manner. The working journalists are deprived of different facilities including provident fund, maternity leave and insurance.

He said though the problem of employment of journalists is a long-standing problem, it has now increased due to Corona Virus. Likewise, another committee member Rangamati Shahi said she had to face discrimination for being a woman after her election as the lawmaker, adding that she involved in politics thinking justice could be got from politics. Committee member Yagyaraj Sunuwar opined that the concept of inclusion has been forwarded after second people's movement, stressing that some problems of women journalists should be resolved permanently.

Similarly, Chairperson of Sancharika Samuha, Nitu Pandit, shared media owners have not provided salary to some women journalists even after asking them to work from home during lockdown. Pandit added though the journalists had fulfilled their duty, the media houses did not fulfill their responsibility. The Sancharika Samuha would establish a fund for women journalists facing problem, she said.

Member of Press Council Nepal, Sangita Khadka, said that a survey carried out by the council on print, electronic, online and television showed that the condition of journalists was vulnerable during lockdown. She stressed that the media should not relieve journalists from their job even after demanding subsidy with government. Chairperson of Working Women Journalists Amika Rajthala expressed the view that women journalists have been facing mental and financial problem.