Bini Dahal

Global phenomena and the growing human curiosities have dramatically increased journalists’ responsibilities. Because they are expected to cover each and every happening, they are sometimes bound to put their life in peril.
The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) considers journalism as one of the most dangerous occupations where journalists face wide-ranging threats. This is so true. An Indian photojournalist working for Reuters, Danish Siddiqui, was recently killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan while trying to cover the aftermath of the US withdrawal from the war-torn South Asian nation. A Pulitzer Prize winner in 2018, Siddiqui was a very popular photojournalist. He along with his colleagues had also documented the utter violence faced by the Rohingya community in Myanmar.
It is very saddening to know that many journalists have lost their lives or have been traumatised over the years. Besides terrorist activities, covering stories about corruption, human rights violations, environmental crimes, trafficking and political wrongdoings can trigger a particular group or organisation to forcefully prevent journalists from circulating information among people. Mass arrests, killings and harassments are some of the obstacles faced by journalists worldwide.
Various stakeholders including government, respective workplace, international organisations and press council or commission play a key role in protecting the lives of the journalist. Yet, very little has been done in this regard. They are forced to put themselves in risky situations just to receive an exclusive piece of news.
Another issue concerning journalism is that violence has been really gendered as well. Male journalists are found to suffer more in comparison to their female counterparts. The year 2020 saw less number of incidents or violence against journalists in comparison to the previous years. A whooping 91 per cent of the victims were males. The figure represents a very few females as journalism is still male-oriented. Female journalists are stereotyped and given assignments that are easy, risk-free and not very important ones. Also, a small proportion of female journalists are found to have suffered from sexual harassment and violence on the basis of their news coverage. This highlights the need for removing possible dangers and making it a secured profession where more people can work.
In the context of Nepal, journalism is still growing and it is an important sector for highlighting corruption and different socio-economic and political issues within the country. Many journalists are reported to face threats and violence from different groups. The internet-based media, rather than investigation of issues associated with underdevelopment, has been in a competitive mode to present saddening stories that can trend online and generate greater attention from people. Very few only work hard to present the real picture of different situations within the country. And they are the ones who face the wrath of the unsatisfied or targeted groups.
Development journalism can lead a country on the path to development. Therefore, the safety of journalists should be ensured at all costs. If we are able to make journalism a safe profession, this can motivate more people to get involved in it.
Press freedom is very essential. As long as this freedom is not ensured, the information gap will continue and the audience will remain completely unaware of many things going around. This will motivate the wrongdoers to confidently give continuity to their activities. Therefore, for Nepal to achieve heights of development, a credible and unbiased journalism is essential.