Media to be used spread awareness about crimes against women

The Telanganagovernment plans to partner with the print and the electronic media to spread awareness about effective implementation of legislations and regulations available for redressal of heinous crimes against teenage girls and women, it was officially announced in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

The special committee set up by the government headed by senior IAS officer Poonam Malakondaiah to look into problems of security as well as safety faced by women at workplaces and elsewhere met senior working journalists at the Secretariat today to inform them about initiatives taken up by the government.

The media's role is significant to transform society and hence the approach to both the print and electronic media, Poonam Malakondaiah said in her opening remarks at the meeting. Today'smeeting is a continuation of the exercise by the special committeewhich is meeting all sections of society likeself-help groups, women NGOs, women and child welfare department, infotech sector, police and civil rights bodies, college girls, working women and housewives living in high rise apartmentsas well as women's associations. The committee plans to meet the women journalists, besides transport and health department officials.

During the interaction, media representatives suggested setting up of a data centre to provide easy access of crime data for a quick response from the police, the women and childdepartment, as well as to enable constructive reporting and analysis of crimeagainst women. General sensitisation on the issue of safety of women journalists in their work places was also discussed, setting up of a grievance cell at union level and also a call centre linked directly to police stations were suggested.

Themeeting also highlighted ongoingnegative portrayal of womeninsome sections of the electronic and print media. Strengthening facilities at women's rescue homes and ways to deal with women cases in police stations were also suggested.

-PTI