Kathmandu, September 7 Minister for Information and Communications Minendra Rijal today sought the need to establish the issue of women empowerment at the political level for the development of women. Speaking at the inaugural session of the sixth general assembly and 19th anniversary of Sancharika Samuha, Minister Rijal said the country will not progress until women are established at the political level. Applauding the leadership of women in various organisations such as Sancharika Samuha, he said, “There should be qualitative and quantitative increment of women journalists to cover the issues of women in various spheres of life.” He said, “The government will be taking initiative to provide opportunities to women based on their work performance.” During the programme, Sancharika Samuha awarded Mina Sharma and Tufan Neupane of Himal weekly magazine with ‘Sancharika Samanta Puraskar’ for their feature news Balatkari Umkaune Kanuni Chhidra (legal loopholes for providing impunity to rapists). Journalist Laxmi Darnal from Sunsari district was awarded with ‘Late Uma Singh Journalism Award’, Shova Bhattarai of Radio Nepal and Priyanka Pandey of Tarai Television were awarded with ‘Sancharika Encouragement Award’. Bandana Rana, Babita Basnet and Prem Kumari Panta, former chairpersons of SAS, Yashoda Timilsina, commissioner at the National Information Commission and Manchala Jha, member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, were also feted during the programme. Meanwhile other speakers such as Prateek Pradhan, prime minister’s press adviser; Poshan KC, chairman of the Minimum Wages Fixation Committee; Dr Mahendra Bista, president of Federation of Nepali Journalists; Subekshya Bindu, president, Working Women Journalists and others echoed the need to make the media sector inclusive by accepting professional challenges that come along.