The relationship between media and society poses a conundrum since it is often bound by the binaries of various beliefs surrounding it. The misrepresentation of gender as roles that must be staged in society is aggravated by the ubiquitous media. The Gender Equality Blog Series focuses on the fifth sustainable goal of the United Nations which is Gender Equality. As part of the series, this blog highlights the laws regulating gender portrayal in Indian Jurisdiction. The perception of any act either supports or distorts the reality of one’s thoughts. The media’s binary portrayal of men and women intensifies the social disparity of gender, almost sketching them as the ‘Occident’ and the ‘Orient’ respectively[1]. Before today, the media in India have not attempted sufficient endeavors to talk about challenging issues concerning women. The common implication of the depiction of women in media was reduced to fortification as opposed to diminishing biases and prejudices against women. Presently, the media has recognised its power as it can give meaning and importance to any aspect of society, be it women’s empowerment. However, this strength, if left ungovernable, can be perilous.

In August 2018[2], Oxfam India’s Gender Justice Program teamed up with AJK Mass Communication Research Center in Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi, to present an elective course, ‘Gender and Media’, to teach gender ideas and focal points in media through speculations, dialogs, film screenings, and field visits. The course would enable understudies to build up a downplaying of various concepts of gender, the portrayal of women, and other non-acclimating gender characters in media, existing media generalisations, and conceivable functional utilisations of a gender-sensitive methodology. The course intends to step by step enlighten with the sensitization of the instances of brutality against women through strategy and practices. At the same time, the program is coursing towards the direction of change in social convictions and frameworks that instigate violence against women.

The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986

It rebuffs the disgusting portrayal of women, which means the delineation in any manner of the figure of a woman; her body or any part thereof in such route as to have the impact of being obscene, or disparaging to, or belittling women, or is probably going to debase, degenerate or harm the open profound quality or ethics. It expresses that no individual will distribute or cause to distribute or cause to be distributed or organized to participate in the production or presentation of any advertisement containing a profane portrayal of women in any structure.

With a goal to reinforce the lawful apparatus ensuring the dignity of women, the government endorsed amendments to the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 in 2012. The motive was to incorporate innovations like MMS and the electronic media, and some left outside the ambit of the Act like notices and TV serials that propagate generalisations of women. Advancing a dignified and non-stereotypical depiction of women in the media is crucial to continuously exhibit it to keep away from the evil impacts of media.

Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 prevents the sale of profane books, flyers, and other portrayals which will be deemed scurrilous. The expansion in the investment and access of women to self-articulation and primary leadership through the media and new advancements of correspondence is a way of enabling them. The incredible and constructive job that the media can play in the empowerment of women and gender equity ought to be bolstered and further investigated.

By Prerna Deep

[1] Gordon, David C., and Edward Said. “Orientalism.” The Antioch Review, vol. 40, no. 1, 1982, p. 104.

[2] “Oxfam India's Gender Justice Program Teamed up with AJK Mass Communication Research Center in Jamia Millia Islamia University.” Jamia - Centres - A.J.K. Mass Communication Research Centre - Introduction

Gender Equality: Laws Regulating Gender Portrayal in India