Monday, February 21 2005 14:12 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Expressing concern over indecent portrayal of women in media and the entertainment sector, the National Commission for Women (NCW) today (Feb 21, 2005) demanded that a separate code of conduct be formulated with regard to women's issues.

The demand was made by NCW chairperson Girija Vyas in her address to a workshop on 'Women and Media' organised by the All India Women's Conference (AIWC) in New Delhi.

"At a meeting organised by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, stress was put on the media observing self-discipline when dealing with portrayal of women. But it will not be enough. There is a need to frame a code of conduct for the media on how women should be represented," Vyas said in her keynote address to the workshop.

Referring to the meeting with women's groups called by the Ministry on the issue of representation of women in the media, she said the Information and Broadcasting Minister Jaipal Reddy said seven minutes should be kept aside in the news bulletins for the social sector. "The Commission demanded that at least two to 2.5 minutes should be allocated to reporting on women's issues."

Earlier, opening the workshop, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said that women were not shown in a happy light either in the news bulletins or in the TV serials.

"I have received letters from children who tell me they are disgusted with how the news channels portray women. The media reports women only when the story has sensational value. In the serials, the women are always fighting with each other and bringing each other down," she noted.