Kunda Dixit | a comprehensive approach

I’d always had a good opinion about Panos, having heard a lot about it since meeting its founder, Jon Tinker, in the 1980s. The added attraction was that the job was based in Nepal - my own country - to which I would be returning after about 15 years.

When I joined Panos South Asia, I was able to hit the ground running because of all the work Panos had done in the past, particularly on water and health issues in the region. I found a tremendous amount of good will and brand recognition, and that was really helpful.

Our contribution to media, communication and development in the region has been an uphill battle. In some cases it’s a question of over-commercialisation, in others press controls are the problem. Both are detrimental to using media as a public service. But the media training Panos offers has helped build solidarity and spread skills.

I haven’t done a precise calculation but there must now be about 400 journalists in the region who have been through Panos training and they are now experts in their fields. Whether it is water, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS or TB, these journalists write with authority on these issues.

Panos is now recognised in South Asia as an organisation that does serious work; it has credibility and stands for quality training and the high standard of its products. There is no other organisation like it. Some have news services, others do training, but only Panos has a comprehensive approach.

In the future, we should continue to look at the links between development and democracy – how inclusive grassroots decision-making is the only way to ensure better livelihoods. So anything that fosters political devolution is helpful: community radio, public service broadcasting, civic education, journalism training, etc.

Linking local issues with global problems is also important: for example how is climate change contributing to the melting of Himalayan glaciers or submergence of the Maldives?

I’m really happy to see that my successors have put a lot of work into Panos’ expansion and making its impact felt across the region... though, of course, one never really leaves Panos!

Kunda Dixit is a Nepali journalist who worked as news reporter for the BBC in New York, and then as Asia-Pacific director of Inter Press Service. He returned to Nepal in 1996 to set up Panos South Asia, where he was director from 1997 to 2000. He is currently editor of the Nepali Times and publisher of the Himal Media Group. He also sits on the board of Panos South Asia.