BNNRC offers a journalism programme together with Free Press Unlimited. It is an opportunity for young women in particular to find a job outside the home. This is unusual because there are few women who work outside the home or even get the opportunity to do so. In spite of this training, female journalists do experience a number of problems. They are not always taken seriously as journalists by interviewees, which was Kakoli’s experience early on. The dominant view in Bangladesh is still that women cannot be journalists and cannot work outside the home at all. Now they get a press card, which they can use to prove that they really are doing their job. That not only gives women proof of their occupation, but also recognition of their abilities.

Authors: Lydia van Rooijen and Jolijn de Blocq van Schelting

Date: March 9, 2017