Event
Workshop on the image of women in media
As part of the UNFPA efforts to promote a society free from violence against women, a daylong workshop on The Image of Women in Media was organised at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel recently, says a press release. 188 participants from different sectors including filmmakers, directors, producers, ad makers, scriptwriters, lyricists, singers, dancers, actors, models, journalists, other concerned people and viewers attended the workshop. The overall objective of the workshop was to sensitise the people behind the media about the projection of women in it.Suneeta Mukharjee, UNFPA representative, gave the welcome address, and Dr Wasim Zaman, director of UNFPA/CST, Nepal also spoke. Renowned film actor Abdur Razzak said in the inaugural session, 'Women are often exposed in advertisement. Civilised people nowadays often refrain from going to the cinema halls. The films are considered as a part of life. But the recent films that are being produced are based on unrealistic stories. In the ads, women are often projected in indecent ways.' Celebrated filmmaker Shubhash Dutt spoke of his observation on the present trend of entertainment as unhealthy. 'Respect and dignity of women are being overlooked,' he said. 'During our time, we have presented women in attires acceptable to the society, but costumes of the heroines now are absolutely degrading.' In the working sessions, two papers titled Status of Women in Bangladesh by Advocate Salma Ali and Projection of Women in Bangladeshi Movies and Advertisments by film columnist Anupam Hayat were presented. BTV producer Shahida Arabi, filmmaker Kazi Hayat, journalist Shahnaz Munni and others discussed on the papers. Divided into four groups the participants gave different recommendations on how to utilise media for proper projection of women as following: 1. To end all discriminations against women, state has to play the chief role. 2. Existing laws should be amended in compliance with Article 27 of the Bangladesh Constitution to ensure equal rights for women of all religions. 3. Shots of obscene acting, dances, songs, dialogues of male and females in movies should be prohibited. 4. Equal access and opportunities should be given to both men and women in production. 5. Women should be treated with dignity and respect.. 6. Obscenity in entertainment media should be stopped. If necessary, appropriate laws should be enacted.
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UNFPA Workshop "Image of Women in Media": Seen at the working session-2 (L-R): Shubhash Dutt, Tania Ahmed and Elias Kanchan |
