The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) has collaborated with IPAS Nigeria Health Foundation (NHF) to improve reporting on Women’s Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (WSRHR).
A 2-day training session, held in Lagos on May 29-30, 2024, equipped women journalists with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively report on WSRHR issues.
“The aim of this training is to build the capacity of NAWOJ leadership on WSRHR issues, ensuring women journalists have the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively report on these issues,” said Mr. Lucky Palmer, Country Director of Partners for Reproductive Justice, Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation.
The training aimed to equip women journalists with the tenets of international commitments, including Nigerian laws and policies. Dr. Akintunde Fehintola, a gynecologist, emphasized the importance of addressing maternal mortality and unsafe abortion. “A woman dies every minute globally from maternal mortality, and there is a need for all hands to be on deck in bringing issues of maternal health to the front burner,” he said.
Dr. Fehintola stressed the need for contraceptive services, safe abortion care, and liberalized abortion laws. “Unsafe abortion is a procedure for terminating a pregnancy that is performed by an individual lacking the necessary skills, or in an environment that does not conform to minimal medical standards or both,” he explained. He highlighted post-abortion care as a crucial strategy to prevent deaths and injuries from unsafe abortion.
“The way forward to prevent unsafe abortion is to prevent unintended pregnancy, increase contraceptive services and information to ensure greater and correct use of contraceptive methods, make abortion care safer, liberalize abortion laws to allow services to be provided openly by skilled practitioners, improve training for medical providers, among others,” Dr. Fehintola added.
Ene Oshama, a development journalist, urged women journalists to challenge stigma and harmful stereotypes, striving to disseminate accurate information on WSRHR. “As journalists, editors, and leaders in the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, you are advocates. And in consideration of that role, you have a task to ensure that we teamed up to bridge the gap in awareness creation by addressing people whose every day lives are daily being watched, talking of policy makers,” she said.
Doris Ikpeze, Partnership Programme Manager with Ipas NHF, provided practical tips on deploying international and national commitments to WSRHR in reporting. “Highlight systemic issues and barriers to justice in honing your skills in WSRHR reporting,” she advised.
Comrade Aisha Ibrahim, National Chairperson of NAWOJ, represented by Comrade Lilian Okonkwo-Ogabu, Deputy National Chairperson, thanked the organizers of the training for building the capacity of its members. “The knowledge gained will be an added tool in addressing the challenges women face in propagating the culture of procreation,” she said.
The training had in attendance members of the national executive and zonal chairpersons of NAWOJ. The engagement aimed to enhance the capacity of women journalists to report on WSRHR issues, promoting awareness and advocacy for women’s reproductive health rights.
