By Loveth Asogwa,
Survival Fistula Health Care Foundation (SFHF) on Wednesday, 10th November 2021, in Abuja engaged media in a one- day Inclusive Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Media Reporting Roundtable Discussion.
It is part of the Comprehensive & Inclusive Women’s Health Project and its being funded by CBM Africa.
The objective of the workshop is to create awareness via the media in fistula and sexual reproductive health rights, to strengthen capacity on media personnel on appropriate reporting on disability matters, and finally to discuss opportunities or improved coverage and reporting of project interventions.
Mrs. Peters Ogunmayin, Executive Director/ Program Manager in her opening remarks appreciated participants, the media, and JONAPWD leaders for participating in this media roundtable discussion, she said that the issues as regards to SRHR is a very critical one and must be looked into especially as regards to fistula patients and women and girls with disabilities,
She went further to state that this group has been neglected in the society but however media should be able to report their issues, make their reporting as inclusive as possible, make sure a sign language interpreter is available during their news hours, making sure that the news headlines are boldly written and also making sure that persons with disabilities participate from time to time in their interviews and reviewing of issues affecting the country.
Dr. Jumbo representing Dr. Kayode Afolabi Director Reproductive Health Division, Federal Ministry of Health in his opening remark said the health and wellbeing of the mother and the newborn are strongly linked, and constitute the key focus of reproductive health programs. Most of the maternal deaths are due to bleeding after delivery, post-delivery infection, prolonged obstructed labour and unsafe abortion.
He further said that the federal ministry of health and partners had intensified efforts aimed at attaining universal health coverage for evidence based and cost effective integrated maternal, newborn and child heath intervention such as focused antenatal care, skilled birth attendance at delivery, distribution of free contraceptive commodities, distribution of free insecticide-treated nets and provision of comprehensive and basic emergency obstetrics and newborn care. There is a drive to challenges of quality of care by improving access to an equitable reliable health service targeting maternal and newborn services in the health facility at all level of care, and their engagement of the media to facilitate the goal of inclusive reporting on health care and the interventions being carried out will strengthen team building in the health sector and improve accountability for all involved in health care delivery.
CBM representative in his opening remark said that this roundtable discussion is a welcome development and this will ensure the full participation of the media in reporting issues as regards to SRHR in Nigeria, in addition to that he said that media practitioners should pay attention to trainings like this as to understand the meaning of inclusion and how to make sure that issues of SRHR is reported in their media platform especially with emphasis to women and girls with disabilities who are the most marginalized group in the society.
Noel Balogun, Co-Founder/Program Officer GRID takes the participants on National Policy on Sexual and Reproductive Health for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) with emphasis on women and girls, the progress towards implementation, and the roles the media can play.
Mr. Chris Agbo, Executive Director the Qualitative Magazine (TQM) and founder, JOMIDA Foundation for Persons with Disabilities facilitated on development and reporting an inclusive report.
He took the media practitioners through some myths and stereotypes about persons with disabilities happening in the media, how to develop and report disability issues and the terms to use while reporting disability issues.
The next steps taken was to further full participation of the media in inclusive reportage was creating a media working team to ensure full participation of all media present, action plan for key moments and notable days like international day for persons with disabilities, advocacy/field visits, and media appearance.
At the end of the roundtable, media organization presents promised to always be inclusive in their report to ensure the that women and girls in the society especially women and girls with disabilities have access to SRHR and also ensure that they use the appropriate terms while referring to persons with disabilities in their reporting.
TQM learnt that the SFHF would be embarking on community activities and engagements to mark International Day for Persons with disabilities and they are seeking the cooperation and support of Organizations of Persons with disabilities and media practitioners which was reflected in their workplan.
