In India women groups complain bitterly about themedia and say that it ignores them, 'commodifies' them, and does notmirror their problems, aspirations and achievements, said NGO Population First, Program Director, Dr A L Sharada.
Dr Sharada said this at a three day workshop held at Lonavala on''Gender and Media'' where she spoke about 'The change over the lasthalf century in reporting on women and gender issues by Indian newspapers' and 'Gender Budgeting for Women.
She added, ''Biases are often unconscious. If not exposed andaddressed they become part of a work culture and a way of life. Theyunfairly impinge on a section of society and cloud the correctpicture. To break a bias, one needs to be first conscious of it.''Speaking on 'Reporting crime on women' an activist Lalitha Dhara said,''15 cases of rape and sexual violence were reported in 2000-01 upfrom just one case in the 1970's, when newspapers were shy of evenmentioning the word 'rape' but couched it in phrases like ''outraginga woman's modesty'' or ''assault''.'
'With the entry of women in journalism the crime phraseology has changed.
However many of the reported rape stories are still foundwanting in the manner in which they are written. Only a couple of themwere reported in a sensitive balanced way.'' Speaking on 'Gender Budgeting for Women' Lalitha Dhara said, ''
The annual budget of 2005-06 etched in a structural change that went largely and sadlyunreported.' ' For the first time as many as 18 Union Ministries wereasked to do a gender disaggregated analysis so that they are able toprovide a reliable and studied indicator of how their programmesimpact gender.
Described as welcome by some and a hasty patchwork byothers the fact remains that it marked the arrival of 'gender budgeting' in India.
As the Finance Minister himself acknowledged in his budget speech tha this step for gender budgeting was only the beginning. ''Hon. members will be happy to note I have included in the budget documents a seperate statement highlighting gender sensitivities of the budgetary allocations under 10 demands for grants.
The total amount in budget estimates 2005-06 according to the statement is just above Rs 10,000 crore.''Although this is another first in budget making in India it is only a beginning and in course of time all departments will be required to present gender budgets as well as make benefit-incidence analysis.''
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