Exploring the Role of Media in Women’s Political Empowerment

Abstract

Purpose: There is less attention on the role of media in shaping women’s role for making local governments vibrant and deepening democracy among every segment of the people in the Indian society. The 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments passed in 1993 by providing 50 per cent reservation of seats for women in rural and urban governments. In the meantime, Beijing Platform for action 1994 addressed the role and responsibility of media to bring positive news about women in governance and passed the resolution on the same. By looking at the existing decisions, the purpose of the study is to discuss explicitly the role of media in encouraging and sustaining women’s representation in the local governments to address the concerns of gender issues and making local governments vibrant institutions for deepening democracy.

Research Design/ Methodology: The existing Covid situation made the authors to use existing data and resources in the form of books and journals to explore media, gender and governance. We used electronic databases to draw the data. The authors extensively referred to UNICEF resources for Gender and Media and UN Women for Gender and Governance. The significance of increasing women representation in media and governance was understood through various scholarly articles to understand Gender, Media and Governance.

Findings: In the 21st century, significant changes have happened in India. The economy has been globalized, and politics has been localized. In this crucial juncture, the media tried to impose the existing gender roles on women to make the women realize the significance of care work. This needs to be addressed by sensitizing the entire media. Women can be portrayed positively. Not only bringing more stories on women, but it is also the role of media to recruit more females to make the entire media space gender just. Market and liberalized economy impose already exiting gender roles on women to sustain private space. This will help males to work in the market-based economy. Media being part of the market economy, may not realize the ideology of neoliberal economic policies and act as the market to impose existing gender roles on women. Media, an important social institution, has a significant role in deepening democracy.

Originality/Value: The critical mass theory proposed to balance both genders in organizations and institutions. The existing data discussed in this paper showed that women do not represent the media organizations well. This needs to be addressed by the media to bring gender-sensitive stories and news items. The study conducted by UN Women pointed out that women journalists mainly cover women issues. Male Journalists need to be gender sensitized to present news items and stories sensitively. Increasing women’s representation in local boy institutions is a significant affirmative action. Media is the only significant institution to bring positive changes about women leadership and the significance of deepening democracy.

Paper Type: Research Thought