Media’s role stressed in mainstreaming marginalised voices

Kathmandu, October 9

Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar today said the media had a key role in institutionalising and enhancing democracy and stressed that as the fourth state, it should keep vigil on performances of three organs of the states — legislature, judiciary and executive.

Gharti said this while inaugurating an international media conference titled ‘Promotion of Freedom of Expression and the Voice of Marginalised Communities in the Media’ in Kathmandu today. The event was organised by the Federation of Nepali Journalists.

Stating that the important task of constitution implementation would gain a major milestone after the conclusion of parliamentary and provincial elections on November 26 and December 7, she stressed the need for amending and revising various acts and regulations as per the country’s federal set-up.

Noting that the constitution has fully guaranteed press freedom, she said the media should give priority to disseminating marginalised voices.

FNJ President Govinda Acharya said although the constitution had guaranteed press freedom, there were challenges to uphold this principle.

Senior journalist Kishor Nepal underscored the need to strengthen the media sector and said the Nepali media had failed to raise the voice of marginalised communities.

Tribhuvan University’s Professor P Kharel remarked that despite constitutional provision for press freedom, its implementation had been poor.

The two-day conference will see deliberations on various topics such as reporting in challenging conditions, journalists’ safety, self-censorship, inclusion of  voices of various communities in the alternative media, women in media, editorial freedom, inclusive media, according to FNJ.

Journalists and media experts from Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan, among other countries, are participating in the conference.

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