Feature Writing Follow-up Training, Nagarkot

Four days long Feature Writing Follow-up Training for the participants from Central Region was conducted in Nagarkot from 25-28th September 2007. Out of 20 participants who attended the Feature Writing Training last year total of 15 participants were selected for the Follow-up training on the basis of their continuity and endeavor in writing feature stories.

The major objectives of the follow-up training is to polish more on feature writing and to produce some good feature stories at the end of training.

Ms. Nirmala Sharma, General Secretary of Sancharika Samuha, coordinated the Follow-up Training. The Lead Trainer was Mr. Mohan Mainali who has been associated with Sancharika Samuha since the beginning of the Feature Writing Training that was started last year from the month of July. This time as a local resource person, Ms. Bimala Tumkhewa, Executive Member of Sancharika Samuha shared her experiences in journalism during the follow-up.

Round Table Session with Editors and Media gatekeepers

Following the four days long Feature Writing Follow-up Training, Round Table Interaction with Editors and Media gatekeepers from the Central Region was conducted on 29th September 2007 at Nagarkot. Total of 40 participants including 13 female journalists who have attended the follow-up training took part in the interaction.

The Round Table Session was aimed to build the link between the editors/media gatekeepers and the participants so that they can get easy access to media houses in future. The Interaction with Editors and media gatekeepers was also aimed advocate about the role of editors/media gatekeepers and decision makers of the media houses so that they take initiation for the encouragement of the female journalists. It was as well expected that the Editors and media gatekeepers would open the opportunities for the female journalists there in this forum.

During the Interaction Ms. Nitu Pandit, Reporter of Kantipur Television and Executive Member of Sancharika Samuha, presented her paper on 'Status of Female Journalists in Nepalese Media focusing Central Region : Challenges and Opportunities', she states, " Number of female journalists is not satisfactory. There are only 5000 female journalists registered as member in Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ). Female journalists who have received Identity Card from Department of Communication are just 10000 in number. As per the research work done by Journalist Mohan Singh Lama last year, 10 percent of women have their investment (ownership) in media and 12 percent of female journalists are working in news department. All female journalists who are the member of FNJ are not working as full time journalists. Only 10 percent are actively involved. Number of female journalists in government media is relatively less than in private media. Participation of female journalists in decision-making level 'Management Board' of government media is nil. There are no female journalists in editor level in the government owned media namely Nepal Television, Radio Nepal, Gorkhapatra and National News Agency. In the 13-member board of Press Council, there is only one female member."

Talking about the reason behind the less percentage of female journalists, Ms. Pandit has mentioned some bullet points:

• Increasing number of FM Stations around the country has definitely increased the number of women in radio but their sustainability in the profession is not very fine. Lack of gender friendly environment, family and social barriers, high expectation but less achievements, more economical benefits and high position in any other profession rather than journalism has discouraged the female journalists.
  
  
• Except few, many journalists including female journalists of Nepal are not able to become financially stable. No regular remuneration and lack of job security has made the journalists difficult to sustain in the field of journalism.
  
  
• Due to the high percentage of male in the decision making level of media, role of female journalists remain at the shadow. On the other hand, literacy rate of female in Nepal is as well less.
  
  
• Journalism is not considered as good profession in Nepalese society. In context of female journalists, it is considered as more unsuitable.
  
  
• Due to the social and family barriers, female journalists compelled to hold the double responsibility. Responsibility of family and children make the female journalists difficult to manage time for reporting.

Ms. Pandit further stated, besides all those barriers and lacking for the enhancement of the female journalists, at the present scenario, due to development of mass media in Nepal, female journalists are highly increasing in the field, especially in electronic media. In addition, there are lots of media schools and colleges now in the city where number of girls are high in comparison to boys. Pointing towards the opportunities for female journalists she added, 33 percent reservation for women in all state's mechanism has enforced everybody to reserve the position for women, which has definitely support to increase percentage of women.

During the Interactive Session, some participants of the Follow-up training shared their bitter experiences and highlighted the existing discrimination for the female journalists and urged the need of opportunity to show their capability in the media world of Nepal. Editor, media gatekeepers and the some decision makers of media houses from Central Region especially from Kathmandu and Birgunj, announced the job opportunity for the female journalists provide that they should owned the journalism skill and can identify the innovative issue and report on it.