Evescape

Media Insititutions Should Be  Gender Sensitive The widely publicised photograph of the newly elected committee of the Goa Union of Journalists (GUJ), after elections to the body held last week -- sparked a debate; rather outrage, at least in one group comprising of influential women in Goa. There was not a single woman in the frame; therefore the outrage. To my mind the picture was appalling, and criminal as well -- the union, as projected in the photograph resembled a Boy's Club. GUJ acclaims itself to be the only voice for journalists and journalism in Goa. That it represents a broad range of media professionals, including women. In the spirit of a union, it also claims to serve as a platform to encourage its working women and freelance journalist members to speak up against injustice and call for action on gender equality and equity in media.  Even a rank outsider would consider the union, as a media institution, to actively campaign for changes, especially...

                                         Gender  stereotypes  in the media  While working with the Goa edition of a national daily, I once had an heated argument with the resident editor for not including voices and opinions of women in news articles on current affairs. Though women's opinions were sought on gender issues, their voices did not matter in the fields of politics, development, finance or economy. Most views came from men thus projecting them as the only thought influences. The fact that there was under-representation of women in news as news-makers, sources of news, news analysts or as experts hugely dissapointed me. Since the media plays an important role in perpetuating or challenging cultural and societal norms, depiction of gender stereotypes in the media influences how society perceive women. As I sought redressal, I realised that the ...

Affirmative Action on Gender Equity  is the Most Urgent Task  Since the March of 2017, I have been deligently working on creating a document encapsulating all that I’ve learned while running campaigns to garner women support in politics. Among other things the document aims to chart practical measures to chip away at the barriers that keep women away. It underlines the need to promote parity in the party's internal structures, include equal representation at party events and conferences, appoint women and men equally to party decision-making positions, provide women members with a platform to voice their questions and place these issues onto the policy agenda at the highest levels of party leadership.  Additionally, this document which can serve as a manual, aims to build discussion platforms to allow women to create networks with other women leaders and their supporters. The challenge is two-fold: 1. sustain our own engagement with the political process on ba...

INDIA WOMEN'S CAUCUS (IWC) A pan India movement led by women to remind the country to keep its promise of more egalitarian lives as promised in the Constitution is underway in India, with its roots in Goa.  Is it outlandish for women to be allowed to have a voice in the government they support with their taxes? Why is then that despite all women's movements, which have had as their general goal -- women's political inclusion, are women still not sharing proportional political power? How does it matter? Its simply that research after research have pointed out that, when women engage in politics, they put important but otherwise neglected issues on the table which have a significant trickle-down effect, benefiting women from all walks of life. That women's interests would best be served by a politically gender-balanced government. Undeniably, it needs a strong political will to support women overcome obstacles that hinder their contribution to national deve...

A call to accelerate GENDER PARITY      A round-table of women, community groups and stakeholders will discuss the topic of gender imbalance in decision making bodies on October 20, 2018 at the Margao Residency Hall, Goa.  W hile the conversation on sexism and sexual harassment is expanding in India with the #MeToo campaign challenging the status quo, it is even more evident how little is done to position issues affecting womens' rights as political priorities. This is critical. Despite governmental claims that adequate resources are spent to reach women -- women from community levels to state to country continue to be struck by challenges. There is an urgent need to rapidly change the quality of women’s daily lives. Too few women at the top means we are all losing out   Providing an environment for changing women’s lives cannot be achieved unless it is considered within a human rights context. And the job of women rights' advocacy groups is...