KATHMANDU: Media Advocacy Group, in association with UN Women, has set up three Information Centres to provide up-to-date information on services in the earthquake affected districts of Gorkha, Nuwakot and Sindhupalchowk.

The main purpose of setting up Information Centres is to establish a gender sensitive information sharing mechanism in districts hit by the quakes

According to Ziad Sheikh, Representative, UN Women, the main purpose behind setting up the Information Centres is to establish a gender sensitive information sharing mechanism to facilitate the flow of information between women and assistance providers in the earthquake-affected districts and to advocate for timely access of relief on behalf of excluded populations.

“Limited access to information prevents women from accessing the multitude of humanitarian relief services. It also prevents women from exercising their full agency and participating equally as partners in the early recovery,” said Sheikh in a statement issued today.

While the main purpose of the Information Centres is to assist earthquake affected people to access information regarding humanitarian relief support and early recovery programmes, they have a wider function of facilitating women’s access and right to information as provided for in the Right to Information Act, according to the statement.

“Social definition of women in our society has limited their ability to claim their right to information and women’s social participation and leadership roles are still undermined by the society,” said Babita Basnet, President, MAG, adding, “During this phase of the disaster, it is very important to institutionalise the role and access of women to information as a common agenda.”

She informed that the Information Centres were born from the provisions in the Charter of Demands, which promotes women’s equal access to information.

The Common Charter of Demands was drafted by leaders of women’s groups and organisations from Nepal, with the coordination UN Women, soon after the earthquake on April 25.

The Charter emphasises the importance of a gender focus for humanitarian assistance and relief that addresses women’s specific needs and calls for the voices of women and their vital leadership role to be reflected in the relief, recovery and rehabilitation processes, from decision-making to implementation.

“I hope that these Information Centres will help in the effective implementation of people’s constitutional right of information that has long been unattended. I believe these Information Centers will foster and strengthen the practice of people asking for and receiving information, especially women,” said Krishna Hari Baskota, Chief Commissioner, National Information Commission.

The Information Centres are one element of the partnership that MAG and UN Women were finalising before the tragic earthquakes. The partnership aims to strengthen the capability of the media to implement gender responsive reporting on key gender equality and women’s empowerment issues, including violence against women and girls.

The partnership also focuses on addressing relevant areas of concern of the Beijing Platform for Action, which calls for action to be taken in media policy on gender issues, women’s portrayal by media and the relatively low-ranked positions of women in media organisations.