Unnati Features

Operating from the conviction that the media can be an effective tool for social change, Unnati writes and publishes articles in the popular print media on women's rights and gender equality, nutrition and health, and population and the environment. Unnati Features is committed to improving the condition of the Indian woman, so writings on women from a major component of their work. Unnati focuses on their needs and requirements, their work, and the special problems they face in India (selective sex abortion, infanticide, neglect, poor health, dowry, etc.) Many stories highlight deficiencies in the Indian diet and the discrimination suffered by the girl child and the woman in food allocation. These articles focus on low-cost and easy ways to incorporate required nutrients in the daily diet. "We believe, that when the majority of Indian children are undernourished, and at risk of never realising their physical and intellectual potential, it is imperative to work at improving nutrition standards and raising public consciousness towards the special needs of women." Population is an area of special interest for Unnati; to that end, issues of development and health, a safe and pollution free environment, food security, and abolition of child labour feature prominently in the organisation's writings.

Unnati also endeavours to write articles that make women feel good about themselves and give them a positive image in society, such as: stories about courage, leadership, political participation, and self help - in short, stories about women's success.

To increase in-depth coverage of these issues, Unnati works to:

• engage in advocacy with newspaper editors on the need for increasing coverage on development, environment, and the role of gender;
• increase the supply of in-depth coverage by making available a pool of writers who are experts on the issues;
• partner with young, competent journalists and youth in schools and colleges with a strong commitment to Unnati's focus issues and to develop stories that are well-rounded and well researched; and
• collaborate with grassroots non-governmental organisation (NGO) representatives to document their experiences in addressing development, environment, and gender issues. Unnati's media analysis studies and reports are designed to help NGOs and development institutions plan their intervention and advocacy strategies.

Unnati is concerned that a sizeable number of Indians, especially women, cannot read or write. In an effort to reach out to them, Unnati makes its articles available to NGOs working with them. Unnati articles on nutrition and health have been read out loud and discussed in adult literacy classes for slum women and village women's groups.

Gender, Women, Environment, Population, Health.

As of 1999, Unnati Features were being used by 30 mainstream English and Hindi newspapers. Prior to launching the features service, a study was conducted of the print media that revealed that about 1-2% of total press coverage was devoted to women. Even when women were covered in the news it was often either as a part of crime reportage or because of their role as celebrities. This confirmed that addressing gender bias in press coverage was a critical issue. Some of Unnati's features have included issues related to violence against women (supported by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) as part of their global campaign), as well as topics such as nutrition, Ayurvedic, and other traditional, low-cost health remedies.