**Executive Summary**
The National Commission for Women (NCW) and the Maharashtra DGIPR organized a one-day workshop, "Women, Media, and Technology," on April 20, 2026, in Mumbai. The event emphasized the necessity for ethical, verified, and sensitive media reporting on women's issues to shape societal mindsets positively. Key takeaways included the urgency of fact-checking in the digital age and the requirement for gender-sensitive policies in emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Ethical Reporting Standards**
* Media must maintain high levels of sensitivity, responsibility, and accuracy when handling subjects related to women.
* Reporting should move beyond criminal incidents to include social, economic, and strategic perspectives.
* Positive achievements of women in fields like science, technology, and entrepreneurship deserve front-page coverage.
**Fact-Checking and Credibility**
* While the speed of news has increased in the digital age, the risk of unverified information has risen.
* Credibility is more vital than speed; media houses must prioritize fact-checking to prevent fake news and misinformation.
**Technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI)**
* Gender inequality in society is currently reflected in AI due to limited tool usage by women outside urban areas.
* It is essential to maintain a gender-sensitive perspective when framing policies regarding AI and its impact on journalism.
**Reporting on Crimes Against Women**
* The use of appropriate, respectful language is mandatory when reporting on atrocities.
* Protection of the victim’s identity must be treated as a highest priority.
**Impact Analysis**
**Media Professionals and Journalists**
**Impact**
Journalists are identified as key drivers of social transformation and are held professionally responsible for gender-sensitive reporting.
**Action Required**
Prioritize fact-checking over speed, adopt respectful language in crime reporting, protect victim identities, and diversify coverage to include women's achievements.
**Policy Makers (Technology and Information)**
**Impact**
The document highlights that current technological trends, particularly AI, risk perpetuating existing gender inequalities.
**Action Required**
Incorporate gender-sensitive perspectives and considerations of digital divides (urban vs. rural) when framing future AI and media policies.
**National Commission for Women (NCW)**
**Impact**
The NCW is positioned as a collaborative partner to the media in driving widespread social change.
**Action Required**
Maintain ongoing dialogue and cooperation with media stakeholders to ensure reporting aligns with ethical and sensitive standards.
Key Entities Referenced
National Commission for Women (NCW): A statutory body that organized the workshop and called for sensitive, responsible, and accurate media reporting on women.
Vijaya Rahatkar: Chairperson of the National Commission for Women who led the initiative for ethical reporting and media fact-checking regarding women's issues.
Directorate General of Information and Public Relations (DGIPR), Maharashtra: The state government department that co-organized the workshop and advocated for gender-sensitive perspectives in AI and journalism.
Women, Media, and Technology: A one-day workshop initiative focused on improving the quality of media coverage related to women and exploring the impact of digital age tools.
Ministry of Women and Child Development
NCW Chairperson Calls for Ethical and Verified
Reporting on Women
Reporting on women should always be sensitive, responsible,
and accurate – Vijaya Rahatkar
Posted On: 20 APR 2026 7:01PM by PIB Mumbai
Mumbai, 20 April 2026
A one-day workshop titled “Women, Media, and Technology” was organised jointly by the
National Commission for Women (NCW) and the Directorate General of Information and Public
Relations (DGIPR), Government of Maharashtra, at the Yashwantrao Chavan Pratishthan.
Speaking at the event, Vijaya Rahatkar, Chairperson of the National Commission for Women
(NCW), asserted that it is essential for the media to maintain sensitivity, responsibility, and
accuracy when handling subjects related to women. She noted that the media is not just a tool
for providing information but a powerful force that shapes the mindset of society.
Dignitaries present on the occasion included Brijesh Singh, Director General of the Information
and Public Relations Department; Nandini Awade, Member Secretary of the State Commission
for Women; senior journalist Swati Gupta; and author Richa Sood.
Vijaya Rahatkar stated that although women have made remarkable achievements in various
fields such as science, technology, defence, administration, and entrepreneurship, challenges
still persist. In this context, the role of the media becomes even more important.
She noted that while the speed of news has increased in the digital age, the risk of information
being broadcast without verification has also risen. “While delivering news quickly is important,
its credibility is far more vital,” she said. She underscored the need to prioritise fact-checking toprevent fake news and misinformation.
Speaking on the topic of “Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its Impact on Journalism,” Brijesh Singh,
Director General and Principal Secretary of the DGIPR, stated that except for urban areas, the
use of AI tools by women is still limited. As a result, existing gender inequality in society is also
reflected in AI. Therefore, he emphasised that it is essential to maintain a gender-sensitive
perspective while framing policies regarding AI.
Author Richa Sood mentioned that gender-sensitive reporting is not an option but a professional
responsibility of every journalist. She expressed the view that positive news about women
should be printed on the front page instead of only news about atrocities against them. She
appealed to the media not to limit women’s issues to criminal incidents but to present them
from social, economic, and strategic perspectives.
Senior journalist Swati Gupta stated that when reporting on crimes against women, the use of
appropriate language, respect for the victim, and protection of their identity should be the
highest priorities.
She further stated that the National Commission for Women considers the media a partner in
social transformation and is committed to bringing about widespread change through dialogue
and cooperation. Journalists from Mumbai were present in large numbers at the workshop.
* * *
PIB Mumbai | Edgar Coelho/Darshana Rane
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Read this release in: Marathi