Forum for Protection of Public Interest (Pro Public), Society of Economic Journalists of Nepal (SEJON) and South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics & Environment (SAWTEE)May 14-15, 2007

EnticerDhankuta experience and North-South roadAn expert concluded that North-South road in Nepal aggravates povertyThe impact and role of media

What is economic reporting?Business scenarioWho earned, who lost, who is starting what business, which business house is bigger, which has paid the highest tax, who has started a noble business, which companies have merged or are merging, who is acquiring what. Also agriculture, manufacturing, service and other businesses. Development issuesHydropower, roads, schools, health posts, drinking water, irrigation other development issuesBudget and planningGovernment budget, tax and custom policies, revenue situation, budget appropriation in general and development headings, achievements so far, changes Economic impact on the peopleAnalysis of policies and decisionsWhat helped improve and what worsened peoples economic situation. Which business venture will have what impact?

Media and povertyMedia have both positive and negative impacts on povertyIt can make or break a bad policy and make or break a good policy on povertyMedias understanding of multilateral (WTO) and bilateral trade agreements is vital Media should analyze the policies that address poverty

Analyzing some policiesRural employment (ek ghar ek rojgar)Land ceiling and povertyEconomic liberalization and povertyHow to utilize povertyImpact of reforms on the societyHave reforms failed the poor?Poverty and democracy

Policy analysis -1Rural employment (Ek ghar ek rojgar)Little of the appropriated money reach to poor (economists think about 15 to 21 percent only reach to the target group)Indian experience says increase in man-days of work did not help in declining poverty incidence. Rather reducing man-days of work by the government increased poverty alleviation ratio much faster.Rural employment schemes in other countries have not shown positive results. Despite years of implementation the pitch, health clinic and schools did not changeReducing corruption, improving administration, and instilling trust on the people about the system helps much more.

Policy analysis -2 Land ceiling and povertyWill the distribution of all the land in the country equally to everybody help reducing poverty? We would be distributing poverty, ratherLandless are much less in number than the proportion of absolute poorIn India, Punjab is the area where landless people are highest in number but poverty is the lowest. In Orissa, the poorest state has very little landlessness. No exact correlation.Only increasing productivity and increase in real wages and incomes can help

Policy analysis - 3Economic liberalization and povertyIs liberalization the magic wand? No!The weak administration, law and order situation has to be strengthened to make liberalization policy successfulGood governance and corruption control are another major requirements

Policy analysis - 4How to utilize poverty?Rich countries are growing at much slower pace than the poor countriesThe poor countries should develop reasonable level of skill to come off the poverty trapThey must be outward looking and join the global economy (the policy of self sufficiency kills)

Policy analysis - 5Impact of reform on the societyReforms and severing of subsidy spur hue and cryNon-reform force the government provide subsidiesSubsidies improve living standards temporarilyThe state end up providing subsidies to well off and middle class (e.g. oil prices)Non-reforms in fact slows growth and development

Policy analysis - 6Have reforms failed the poor?The number of people under poverty line are more or less same since the open market policy adopted in Nepal in early ninetiesHas their consumption improved?Has the unemployment rate gone down?What do the impact assessment studies say?

Policy analysis - 7Poverty and democracyInitially when country moves from feudalism to democracy, the wealth is distributed widely. But when the majority become middle-class it tends to ignore the minority, who fail to cross the absolute poverty lineDemocracy will fail the poor if they do not organize themselves because most of the support goes to middle-class, which is largest in numberEven the opponents of welfare state dont dare to irate the large middle class which gets most of the welfare money in terms of various subsidiesIf poor people do not organize themselves and form coalitions with other groups, the risk of democracy failing them is there, because democracy is a majority game

Where do media stand in the coverage of trade issues?Media is not giving much importance to poverty and trade issuesGrowing commercialization is blamed for the apathyThe level of poverty and inequality has not gone down but media coverage has gone down significantlyThey consider that such issues are for handful of policymakersThey forget the fact that poverty is something they have to cover to justify their public service role

How are media covering trade issues?Journalists face hurdles in terms of resources to cover the impact of trade policies on the general publicTime, money and skills are required to travel to remote areas to assess impacts among under-developed, marginalized and disadvantaged communitiesThe illiteracy and lack of unawareness of the impact among the people also prove handicap in getting the true assessmentSo we end up parroting the big media and the wire-services about the impact of trade policies on the public, which is mostly misrepresentationIn some cases being guided by Indian media (which is seen quite common) is also detrimental for our national interest (e.g. agriculture subsidy)Political bias against free trade also prompt media confuse people

Issues to highlightThe dynamics of regional trading arrangementsWhats the issue of our national concern?Who are the major players?What should be the role of our government?Patents/intellectual property rightsHave we registered enough patents?Are we respecting IPR? If not what should be done?

Issues to highlight contd.Bilateral trade issuesWhats the overriding issue? (like trade, transit, fuel, river linking, customs, dumping issues)What are the issues of bilateral cooperation, and how is it going. What are major projects? Whats the status, why smooth or being blocked?When talking about trade agreements that support any multinational or national big houses, the media should be prompt in raising issues of corporate social responsibility

Issues to highlight contd.LDCs and developed nationsKnow the difference, and understand the conflict of interestNational negotiating positionsUnfortunately, our government does not tell media our national positionMedia can create strong public opinion to lobby national interestGovernance including corruptionAny agreement requires good implementation for which good governance and corruption free environment plays an important role

Issues to highlight contd.DisclosureCampaign financePoverty alleviation through banking with poor

Government listening to whom?Who are they consulting or failing to consult?What are major issues in trade, as per government consideration? Are the poor, marginalized, deprived, oppressed are heard?Are the trade policy transparent, open and inclusive?

Let the debate be heardProvide unbiased reports but do not sensationalizeMake people understand the issue to widen the debateDemand transparency in policy formulation

Medias engagement with othersThe government, civil society, ngos and other stakeholders should involve media in generating wider public awareness and debate of trade policiesInvolvement of media does not only widen the discussion but also help the government negotiate more firmly in the excuse of public pressure. But our government never involves media on such negotiationsThe government officials try to hide all the agenda from the media, as if it is a national secret. That is a reason they end up losing much at the end of the negotiations.

Medias engagements with others contd.The government should be exerted pressure to hire personnel with skill and knowledge to deal with media, and take their general support before entering into any trade agreementInvolvement of media even helps the government ministries and other concerned offices be up to date with the developmentsMedia can do much more by interacting with civil society groups and policy research organizations.

Ensure following points in your stories Coverage of national-international policy links Explain and analyse the relationship between international trade rules and national trade policy challenges WTO, IMF, ADB, EU agreements, SAFMA, BIMSTEC, UNCTAD, Accessible analysis Make complex policy processes and issues intelligible for target audiences, explaining technical language and jargonDevelopment perspective and poverty focus Focus on the link between trade and development opportunities and barriers and the implications of trade policies for poverty reductionHuman impact Highlight how trade and trade policies affect people in practice, for example access to essential goods and services or employment

Ensure following points in your stories contd.Inclusion of poor peoples voices Gather and include the views of poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, and of organisations working with themGender Consider gender how trade policies reflect and affect the different roles and socio-economic position of men and womenInterest representation and decision-making Explore the underlying social, economic and political interests involved in trade policy-makingViews of different interest groups Interview interest groups and stakeholders (e.g. consumers, producers, workers, small businesses, the private sector, different ministries, parliamentarians) included or excluded in trade policy-making nationally and internationally.

References:A case study of media coverage of trade and aid issues in Mozambique and Zambiawww.panos.org.uk (Report on globalization)Swaminomics in various issues of The Times of IndiaPast seminars of Pro Public (website)Various newspapers and studies

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