Pathfinder international has trained journalists with modern skills in reporting Family planning (FP) and Maternal Newborn and Child Health MNCH related issues.
The training held on Thursday and Friday in Abuja.
It had journalists, social media influencers and policy makers in Nigeria’s FP and MNCH sector.
Bayo Ewuola Pathfinder’s Senior Media and Communication Officer said the purpose of the workshop was to deepen the media’s understanding of critical issues in FP and MNCH.
He expressed optimism that the media will pioneer changes in FP and MNCH narratives.
“This training is designed to empower journalists and social media influencers to tell impactful, accurate, and ethical stories that go beyond the headlines.
“We know that FP and MNCH issues have been relegated to the back pages, and we are working with the media across states to put them in front burner.
“ This is because Nigerians deserve to know the fact and the progress being made around these issues,” He said.
Comrade Alhassan Yahaya, President of Nigerian Union of Journalists, noted that the workshop was timely.
He stated that building capacities of journalists, will build stronger advocacy for a better change in the country’s MNCH and FP space.
According to him, “Any community that uses family planning or child spacing, reduces maternal death by 40%.
“Through family planning or child spacing, we are going to reduce maternal death by 40%.
“It is high time for us as journalists to be strong advocates for child spacing and family planning methods.
“It is important for journalists, especially from the core northern part of Nigeria, to venture into the health journalism.”
Margaret Bolaji, a representative of FP 2030 said that media advocacy is essential in strengthening FP and MNCH reporting in Nigeria.
She explained that with accurate reporting on FP and MNCH issues, the Modern Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (McPR) of Nigeria will be enhanced through effective media advocacy.
“I urge journalists to use solutions-focused reportage to highlight critical issues in the FP and MNCH to ensure that policy makers can learn from those solutions,” she said.
