HDRN announces media awards for outstanding reports

Mumbai, Aug 10 (UNI) Human Development Resource Network (HDRN), a New Delhi-based advocacy group, announced eight media awards for outstanding reports covering trafficking and HIV in India.

The awards are instituted by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under its Trafficking and HIV/AIDS (TAHA) project for the prevention of traffciking and HIV/AIDS in women and girls, covering 11 states of India.

Four out of the eight awards are for the print media, while the rest are for television reports.

While making this announcement here yesterday, noted filmmaker Prakash Jha said trafficking and HIV/AIDS is a massive problem facing the country.

''It is important for us to prevent and create a situation to try and stop the process, which leads to trafficking,'' asserted Mr Jha.

He added that mediapersons must do the needful to fight the scourge of trafficking and HIV/AIDS, with compassion through proper spectrum of positive reflection and writing.

The selected candidates would be given two months to research, write and publish or broadcast their work after filing the applications for the awards.

Speaking on the occasion, Maharashtra State AIDS Control Society (MSACS) APD Dr Karnataki said in the state AIDS societies were formed in 1998 to facilitate speedy implementation of HIV/AIDS programmes.

The state at present has 289 integrated counselling and testing centres (ICTCs), which provide complete information on HIV/AIDS for all the segments of the population. These centres will be expanded to all taluka-level hospitals, bringing it to a total of 604.

Priti Patkar, Director of a city-based NGO Prerna, rued that there is a high increase in trafficking cases in the last few years.

Young girls from across India and particularly Nepal, are pushed into flesh trade for several reasons.

She said the Nepalese girls have begun scattering themselves across the city and therefore, they cannot be found in one particular location as was the case a few years ago.

Girls as young as 13 and 14 years old are now being pushed into the trade by pimps and close people with dubious interests. Jammu and Kashmir is the only state from where no girls have been caught being trafficked, added Ms Patkar.

Taj Mahal Hotels Head (Human Resource) Vidyadhar Vaidya said under an agreement with Prerna, the rescued and rehabilitated girls would be taught cookery and housekeeping for 15 days, empowering them to start their own venture or a gainful employement.

It is the need of the hour for all organisations and everybody involved in the area of anti-trafficking and anti-HIV/AIDS campaign to sensitise news editors and owners of media organsiation for better results and coverage, said Sujoy Gupta, Editor, Gomantak Times.

UNI GVS MQA VP0427