KATHMANDU: Minister for Information and Communication Technology Sherdhan Rai has said the government has already gone with a process of enforcing the new minimum wages recommended for journalists.

During his meeting with a delegation of Sancharika Samuha, an association of working women journalists, on Tuesday, the Minister said the Ministry had already begun a process for tabling the new wages chart for journalists in the Legislature-Parliament for an approval. Similarly, works have begun to implement the accident insurance policy for journalists.

On the occasion, the delegation submitted a memorandum to the Minister, seeking a 33 per cent women representation in media houses. In response, the Minister said he was also in the view that there should be a noticeable participation of women in media.

Moreover, the presence of women was essential in the Press Council and communications policy making tables, the Minister stressed.

Samuha Chairperson Nirmala Sharma called on the government to take special efforts for qualitative and quantitative increase of womens’ presence in media.

The delegation expressed its concerns over a short-term appointment letter to women journalists working in state-owned media and less priority to women journalists in the government foreign visits, among others.