Media should focus more on women issues so that the cause of their empowerment is achieved, said Dr Al Sharda the Director of Population First (PF) organisation, while speaking with the media here on Friday.
Sharda — who heads the organisation committed to reduce gender imbalances in India — lamented that today the media is bereft of the women-centric stories. She however lauded the efforts of media in building up a public opinion which resulted in Government’s action after the Nirbhaya incident. Inviting entries for laadli Media and Advertising Awards for gender sensitivity (lMAAGS), Sharda said that the awards carry a citation and trophy and 498 journalists have so far been awarded by the organization. The awards are in categories of Journalism –Print-, Journalism -electronic-, advertising and web and are given separately in the Northern, southern, eastern and western regions. She said that the objective of these awards is to encourage journalists to raise the issues of gender equality.
Geeta Balodi an associate Professor at MKP College said that after the implementation of PCPNDT act the greedy ultrasound centre owners have changed their working style and a whole racket of agents’ doctors and mediators are involved in the clandestine business of sex determination of foetus. Expressing grave concern on decreasing sex ratio in Uttarakhand she that unlike Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana the state of Uttarakhand traditionally did not discriminated between the boys and girls but the recent trends are
disturbing. Balodi highlighted the importance of mass awareness to reduce gender discrimination in State.