KATHMANDU, April 10: UN Women, in partnership with the Media Advocacy Group (MAG), has concluded a Media Compact signing ceremony in Kathmandu, marking a step towards promoting gender-responsive and inclusive media practices in Nepal, with a particular focus on women in politics.
Speaking at the event, Patricia Fernández-Pacheco, Country Representative of UN Women Nepal, acknowledged progress but highlighted persistent gaps in gender equality in both media and political representation. “While progress is evident, significant gaps remain. Women hold only 26.5 percent of parliamentary seats and 22.8 percent of cabinet positions globally. At the current pace, achieving gender parity in politics could take decades. Media can be both part of the problem and the solution, as it shapes public perception,” she said.
Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Nepal, Park Tae-Young, underscored the media’s role in shaping narratives and public opinion. He noted that while media can amplify voices, it can also reinforce stereotypes. Citing the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2024/2025, he said Nepal ranks 111th out of 146 countries, stressing the need for more gender-responsive reporting and inclusive language.
The compact was developed through consultations with journalists, editors and publishers from Bagmati, Lumbini and Gandaki provinces. It commits media organisations to ensuring fair and balanced coverage of women politicians, promoting equal representation in political and economic discourse, strengthening reporting on online gender-based violence, adopting gender-sensitive journalism practices, addressing gender-biased misinformation, and encouraging safe and responsible digital participation.
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During the ceremony, leading media editors signed the Media Compact, including Guna Raj Luitel (Nagarik Daily), Kosh Raj Koirala (Republica), Hari Bahadur Thapa (Barakhari.com), Balkrishna Basnet (Annapurna Post), Rajan Pokharel (The Himalayan Times), Ram Prasad Acharya (Gorkhapatra), Pranay Rana (Kalam Weekly), Sonia Awale (Nepali Times), Bimala Bhandari (Press Registrar, Gandaki Province), and Nawaraj Kuwar (Butwal Today Media Group).
A panel discussion held prior to the signing featured Kumar Sharma Acharya, Chairperson of the Press Council Nepal; Mahendra Bista, Executive President of Public Service Broadcasting; Renu Sijapati, General Secretary of the Feminist Dalit Organisation; and Ishika Panta, Founder of Project Abhaya.
Acharya said media content is regularly monitored and action is taken against violations of the code of conduct. Bista noted that the compact would help foster a more supportive newsroom environment and strengthen gender-responsive reporting, particularly during elections.
Sijapati and Panta emphasised the need to challenge entrenched stereotypes and promote inclusive narratives. Women political leaders, including Sita Gurung, Bidhya Bhattarai, Manushi Yami Bhattarai, Nisha Adhikari and Bidhya Shrestha, also shared their experiences of media representation and the challenges faced by women in politics.
Chhabindra Parajuli, Director General of the Department of Information and Broadcasting, described the media’s commitment to gender equality as a positive and encouraging development.
At the event, Anita Bindu, President of MAG, presented findings from the organisation’s media monitoring report covering the election period from January 15 to March 15, 2026. The report showed that only 2.8 percent of election-related coverage in broadsheet newspapers focused on women, highlighting a significant representation gap.
While noting improvements in the quality of coverage, the report called for greater visibility of women, particularly on front pages, and increased use of data-driven journalism. It also identified a growing trend of media more actively questioning political parties, signalling a shift towards greater accountability and more inclusive reporting.
The Media Compact represents a collective commitment by media stakeholders to strengthen gender equality in media content and practice, contributing to a more equitable and democratic information ecosystem in Nepal.
