Phenomenal Women: Speaking With Namita Bhandare, Author & Journalist

By THE LADIES COMPARTMENT March 15, 2021 In Features, Interviews 0 FEMINISM, Interview 0

Namita Bhandare is a familiar, and respected, name in journalism and in writers’ circles across India. A journalist for close to 30 years, since 2013 Namita’s work has focused entirely on gender rights. She was the Gender Editor for Mint for three years from 2014. Currently, she works as an independent journalist with a column in Hindustan Times and bylines in Foreign Policy, Scroll among other publications.

Most recently, Namita joined the editorial board of Article-14, a new startup that focuses on gaps in the implementation of the law. Again, her focus for Article-14 is gender and she oversees and commissions gender stories.

A prolific author of non-fiction books, Namita has found a rare sweet spot for Indian women journalists. She’s happy, and doing work that fulfils her, as opposed to chasing the newest relevant topic.

Her work is impressive and unassailable. In an increasingly cut-throat industry that is Indian media, what I respect and love most about Namita is her fearless, no-holds-barred support for other women.

The Ladies Compartment sat down with Namita Bhandare to ask her ten questions, her answers of which may benefit us all.

You write a lot about women at work- what are the recent trends you’ve noticed post-pandemic?

Post pandemic the data is very clear. Centre for Monitoring of Indian Economy has tracked the number of women, and men, who lost jobs during the pandemic. If you analyse the April 2020 data, then immediately after the lockdown, there was a 28.5% decline in jobs for men; 36% for women.

It’s the recovery from this low point that is interesting. By November 2020, job loss was just 1.1% for men; 13.1% for women ie. 13% women had dropped out of the labour force and were neither employed nor looking for jobs. Please bear in mind, that this comes on the heels of our already abysmal female workforce participation — by the government’s own estimate only 23% — before the pandemic.

Women’s employment post pandemic is an emergency that requires a task force at the highest levels to help save it from slipping to catastrophic levels.

Did you have women / feminist role models when you were younger? Who were they?

I became a journalist during the Narmada agitation, hearing stories about Medha Patkar’s courage. The SEWA movement was huge and everyone had heard about it. The Chipko movement was the first post-independence movement that featured so many women leaders.

When media reports that women are at the frontlines of anti CAA or the farmer protest FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SUCH LARGE NUMBERS, I wonder at the lack of knowledge about our own history.

You may also like: The Badass Women of Indian Politics : Election 2019

I remember reading about Kamala Das, the poet and Chandralekha, the dancer as women who broke barriers and convention. So, we didn’t have any one, but several. We are part of an absolutely wonderful lineage of remarkable Indian women.

You’re part of the media venture- Article 14- what made you want to start and be a part of it?

I have known Samar Halarnkar and Priya Ramani, the founders for 20 years. We are former colleagues and friends. I have an absolute belief in their vision for the website. I know them to be ethical, honest and fearless journalists. So many of us, complain about mainstream media’s “lack of spine” so when an opportunity presented itself to me to do the journalism I grew up believing in, I quite obviously grabbed it with both hands.

How has Indian media changed from when you started reporting to now?

The India media has changed in so many ways. This would require a 10,000 word response. But briefly, far more women in the newsroom (though not enough in the corner offices), far greater awareness of our rights.

In my time not only was there no law on workplace sexual harassment, there was no language for it. The term sexual harassment didn’t exist, we just used a whisper network: “He’s a creep, stay clear.” Editors at night time would openly drink on the job and this made many women feel very unsafe. I think newsrooms are definitely safer thanks to the critical mass we’ve achieved there.

What are some of the major challenges women in media face today?

Major challenges are the same as those faced by all women in employment. Because of gender stereotyping, it is women who continue to bear a disproportionate burden of unpaid care work — and this cuts across caste, class, geography, economic status. So, you still see a very high attrition rate amongst women employees.

So, the first challenge and really the biggest challenge we all face is just sticking it out.

What can media companies do to better reflect their women readership?

Hire and promote more women in leadership positions. We simply do not have enough women editors (in print at least, I cannot comment about broadcast).

Are there any best practices you would suggest for companies trying to make an inclusive, women-friendly workplace?

Implementing the law in spirit and not just in letter would be a start. For instance, large companies are supposed to provide creches for young mothers but 4 years after the Maternity Benefit Act, most do not. Also, in terms of sexual harassment, make sure you have ICs in place, have a zero tolerance policy. Finally, even beyond the law, just look around: are you hiring enough women, are you promoting enough women, are you paying equal pay for equal work, are you doing enough to make it easier for women to remain employed (allow for sabbaticals for instance when a parent falls seriously ill or a child has a board exam, since the burden of unpaid care work falls on women)?

How do you feel about Women’s Day?

Definitely worth celebrating. But definitely worth reminding ourselves of just how much work we still have to do, how far we still have to journey.

Any advice you have for women who want to make it in journalism/ writing?

Stick it out. Develop a thick skin. Learn to network and play office politics if you want to reach the top.