Several countries continue to grapple with the effects of COVID-19, and with each day, it is becoming clear that the impact on the most vulnerable will be the hardest.
The/Nudge Foundation is hosting Charcha 2020 from 14 to 16 May which is a platform to bring together thinkers, researchers, practitioners, enablers, policymakers, communicators, philanthropists and community leaders to address the toughest challenges in a post-COVID world.
Earlier, in ‘Charcha 2020,’ a panel discussion was held on Friday, 15 May, which included journalists Faye D’Souza and Barkha Dutt and was titled as ‘From the Ground Up: Media Innovations at the Frontlines of Justice’.
On being asked about the different areas of information that the Indian media has helped in making the citizens understand better, Barkha Dutt said that 99 per cent of the Indian media did not report the coronavirus pandemic.
“I actually think that this was one of big medias’ big moments of failure. I don’t think the media covered this story. I don’t think television covered this story. I think this story was told by a handful of journalists on the ground and it was told by, what in the trade, we call stringers who are basically freelance contributors, who, across India provide a network of information,” she said.
Laying out a different perspective on the topic, Faye D’Souza said, “In a country like India, to be able to pass on that information to large groups of people, many of whom don’t read, is a challenge, and I don’t think that was particularly a challenge met by journalists, I think it was a challenge met by all kinds of media. I know that radio stations played a big role. Local media played a big role.”
Describing media’s role in the case of justice, she said that it’s journalism that will form the “basis for justice that will be sought in the future.”
“Journalism tends to be the collection of evidence on the ground in any big event that happens in history. It is actual journalism that forms the basis for future petitions and arguments in court,” she said.
The Digital Future of Indian Courts
Earlier, Agami hosted a panel discussion on Thursday, 14 May on ‘One Click to Justice: The Digital Future of Indian Courts’.
The session was a fireside chat on the ongoing efforts to reimagine courts in India and the speakers of this session included Justice Ravindra Chavan, former judge, Bombay High Court and Sajan Poovayya, senior advocate, Supreme Court of India.
Sajan Poovayya, while listing the impact of COVID on Indian courts said, “Our courts have become faster than ever to embrace video conferencing technology. The lawyers that are involved in matters as well, have I think, embraced technology must faster than what I thought they would.”
He termed coronavirus as an “enthusiastic enabler” for the judicial dispensation process to move from a physical structure to an online one.
You can view the full schedule and register for the event here.
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