Issues related to media and women media persons discussed in NWMI National meet
19th national meet of Network of Women in Media
Guwahati, Feb 4: Issues related to the media and women media persons, with a focus on North East India, were deliberated at length in the three-day 19th national meet of the Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI) which concluded on February 2, 2025.
The meeting featured six panel discussions and various presentations related to regional media’s transition and adaptation in the digital age, reporting to and from North East India, the journey of Assamese cinema vis-a-vis the country’s film industry and navigating mental health and well-being in both newsrooms and in the field along with online and offline struggles of journalists were held during the conference.
A special panel on child marriage and media’s role in highlighting multi-dimensional strategies to end the social menace in the context of Assam was also held with legal experts, social activists and journalists highlighting various aspects that needs to be focused upon while doing stories on the subject.
A public meeting was also held on February one which was open to all and a panel discussion on the topic ‘’Media: Conflict and Climate Change- Impact on women’’ was held with journalist author Sanjoy Hazarika, Chairperson of North East Network (NEN) Dr Monisha Behal, journalist Tongam Rina and Director of Centre for Environment and Climate Action Foundation Dr Kamal Tanti participating in the conversation, moderated by PTI’s Bureau Chief Durba Ghosh.
The speakers highlighted both conflict and climate change impact on women, particularly in the riverine areas, impact of big dams and its adverse effects on their lives and livelihoods, need for preserving the indigenous knowledge system in the agricultural and other sectors along with its portrayal in the media from the right perspective.
A presentation by Whitley Gold Award winner Dr Purnima Devi Barman on her conservation initiatives taken for the Greater Adjutant Stork which is locally called the ‘Hargila’ and empowering women at the grassroots in this endeavour, was the highlight of the public meeting.
Songs on the Brahmaputra by folk artistes from Barpeta and a Bihu dance presentation by a group of artistes also kept the audience spell-bound on the occasion.
NWMI is an organisation of women media professionals working for the print, electronic and digital media.
Set up in 2002, it aims to provide a forum for women media professionals to share information and resources, exchange ideas, promote media ethics, to work towards gender equality and justice in media and society.
The three-day meeting presented an excellent opportunity for media professionals to connect, learn, and contribute to the growing discourse around women in media.
Altogether 200 women journalists from across the country attended the meet.
