'Women's issues yet to get proper treatment in media'

They said women are mainly presented in entertainment sectors and there is also a tendency to present them more when they become victims of any mishaps.

The discussion was organised by Gender in Media Forum at CIRDAP auditorium in the city yesterday to mark the International Women's Day on March 8.

At the discussion, Prof Geeti Ara Nasrin of Dhaka University presented a media monitoring report prepared on February16, 2005.

The report was prepared on the basis of news and other stories of six national dailies, three television channels and one radio on that day.

The Media Monitoring Programme was conducted in 101 countries including Bangladesh by World Association for Christian Communication (WACC).

The National Monitoring Report revealed the discriminations that the women are facing while working in both print and electronic media.

Of the total news presenters, 83 percent was female, but of the total reporters, their percentage was only 18, said the report.

"Mass media is the place to find out and depict the inequalities in the society and make people aware to remove them,'' Prof Geeti Ara said, adding, a change is taking place in the society, but it is not clearly reflected in media.

" More women should have to be involved with media and take the challenge to work better,'' said President of Nari Sangbadik Kendra Nasimun Ara Huq Minu.

She said UNESCO has proposed to news media to allow women journalists to take the responsibility of decision taking on the occasion of International Women's Day on March 8.

Founder member of Gender in Media Forum Muhammad Jahangir, litterateur Selina Hossain, Ranjan Karmaker of Steps Towards Development, Editor of Anannya Tasmima Hossain, Editor of New Nation Mostofa Kamal Majumder and a host of women journalists were present at the discussion.