Except few, many journalists including female journalists of Nepal are not able to become financially stable. No regular remuneration and lack of job security has made the journalists difficult to sustain in the field of journalism. Due to the high percentage of male in the decision making level of media, role of female journalists remain at the shadow. On the other hand, literacy rate of female in Nepal is as well less. Due to the social and family barriers, female journalists compelled to hold the double responsibility. Responsibility of family and children make the female journalists difficult to manage time for reporting.
Besides all those barriers and lacking for the enhancement of the female journalists, at the present scenario, due to development of mass media in Nepal, female journalists are highly increasing in the field, especially in electronic media. In addition, there are lots of media schools and colleges now in the city where number of girls are high in comparison to boys.
As such, gender discrimination is not only the problem of Nepal. It is a worldwide reality. Nevertheless, it may vary from nation to nation. Women are facing different kinds of discrimination and violence in different places and are taken as a commodity and often treated negligently in the society. Women are not allowed to participate in public activities even though such activities may be related with women. In some communities, women are strictly prohibited to take part in any local or national activities. Not only in home affairs, women are also discriminated widely by the law.
The discrimination and violence against women seems even more in context of Nepal. Nepal, where the majority of the total population is of women, is yet very much influenced by the traditional attitude, customs and religious culture. Also the society is patriarchal in structure and men are the main dominant figure in the society. Men hold the domination in taking decisions both within the household and outside. This traditional concept has influenced all the sectors including media.
However, the present political reformation of the nation has added to a new horizon. The historic decision made by the House of Representatives about scrapping the existing discriminatory laws and reservation of at least 33 percent of positions in state bodies for women has not only empowered women but also amended the most controversial constitutional provisions on citizenship ensuring the guarantee of citizenship certificate with either of the parents as legal guardian.
Still, there is a need to continue the campaign as the battle yet to be won with the effective implementation of these resolutions made in the House of Representatives. In addition to these the effective participation of women in every state's mechanism including media sector should be the priority concern of the government and the private sector as well.
