Revamp journalism courses to create gender sensitivity, says Sathidevi

Seminar on ‘Women’s Space in Media’ held

Women’s Commission Chairperson P. Sathidevi has urged the media to strive to create awareness in society about the safety and equality of women. She was inaugurating ‘Penpathi’, a district-level seminar on ‘Women’s Space in Media’ organised by the Commission in association with the Calicut Press Club in Kozhikode on Tuesday.

She said the number of women who come out of journalism schools or medical colleges was very high. But not many stick to the professions, and societal pressures played a major role in their withdrawal from the professions.

She stressed the need for revamping journalism courses to create a gender-sensitive atmosphere in media houses as well as society.

Ms. Sathidevi also called for the setting up of internal complaints committees in all media houses and the film industry.

Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) State president M.V. Vineetha urged the Commission to set up hostels for women working in the media and to make efforts to put an end to body shaming and caste discrimination in media houses.

Public Prosecutor and Additional Government Pleader P.M. Athira spoke about media laws and gender equality in workspaces. She urged the media to be cautious while handling gender-sensitive data and to be compassionate towards survivors of sexual asaults.

Calicut Press Club president M. Firoz Khan presided over the event. Women’s Commission member Indira Raveendran, Calicut Press Club vice president Reji R. Nair, and KUWJ State secretary Anjana Sasi were present.