Report Highlights Poor Working Conditions In Nepal

Report Highlights Poor Working Conditions In Nepal

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) welcome the renewed focus on journalists’ wages and working conditions in Nepal, while registering deep concern at the picture that emerges from a recent report of the statutory Committee for the Fixation of Minimum Wages.

The Committee, formed under Nepal’s Working Journalists’ Act (WJA) has pointed out, in a report submitted on November 24, that 37 percent of the country’s journalists are paid below the prescribed minimum wage, while 45 percent of journalists are working without letters of appointment. Among the media houses surveyed, 48 percent had failed to introduce basic measures such as retirement and welfare funds, medical cover and insurance.

“The IFJ has stood by the FNJ in their tireless campaign for democracy and subsequent work with Nepal’s new political order to see vitally needed amendments to the Working Journalists’ Act introduced,” IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said.

“However, the figures revealed by this report show that media houses are still choosing not to invest in quality journalism or the professional development of members of staff, and they in many cases fail to comply with their legal obligations to issue letters of appointment.”

According to the FNJ, the recent media boom in Nepal has created favourable conditions for professionals within newspapers and broadcasters catering to the upper income demographic strata, which are generally favoured by the high-value advertisers. However, the situation for the vast majority of journalists, including those in Nepal’s dynamic and expanding radio sector, remains dismal.

“The IFJ supports the FNJ’s efforts to ensure that this annual audit of working conditions and wages in the media is widely discussed – and most importantly – acted upon,” Ms Park said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media