INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
KATHMANDU, APRIL 14The Federation of Nepali Journalists today said 2078 BS had been one of the most challenging years
for working journalists and their families due to the unprecedented public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic despite being less
severe compared to the last year.
Eight new mothers die in three years for want of treatment in Bajura
According to FNJ, it recorded as many as 74 incidents of press
freedom violation in 2078 BS, against 45 in 2077 BS.
Several journalists were attacked or intimidated
They also received threats in relation to their work
As many as 18 journalists succumbed to COVID-19 in 2078 BS, taking the death toll to 26.Journalists worked on the frontline and were
vulnerable to coronavirus infection throughout the year
The umbrella organisation of Nepali journalists also said that mediapersons faced the double whammy of COVID-19 and deprivation of regular
salary, pay cut, forced unpaid leave, dismissal from job and unnecessary transfer to coerce them into resigning.It caused financial hardship
to the families dependent on journalists
Despite being infected or being at risk of being infected due to the nature of their work, journalists had been compelled to bear the
expenses for PCR tests even when they were deprived of regular pay.Journalists were impacted by injustice at the hands of media houses and
inaction of the government to strictly enforce the existing law
FNJ recorded complaints from 221 journalists regarding deprivation of regular and full pay.Section 20 of the Working Journalists Act
guarantees that service and facility of journalists shall not be altered or changed in a manner to affect them.Despite these, the government
failed to announce relief package and subsidy for journalists and media houses were hit hard by the pandemic.Similarly, the government
registered the Public Service Broadcasting Bill and Media Council Bill in the Parliament with anti-press provisions, disrespecting the
suggestions of the media fraternity and other stakeholders.FNJ has also painted a bleak picture of press freedom in the country over the
past one year as media and journalists were frequently targeted by the government to silence them.However, as per the World Press Freedom
Index published by Reporters Without Borders, Nepal had improved six places on the global Press Freedom Index to rank 106th out of 180
countries for 2021.The country had ranked 112th on the index released by Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontieres in 2020.A version of this
article appears in the print on April 16, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://thehimalayantimes.com