Award launched to celebrate excellence on population reporting

A journalism award has been launched to amplify media engagement with population, health, environment and sustainable development programs in Africa.

This was done through the USAID-funded Building Capacity for Integrated Family Planning and Reproductive Health and Population, Environment and Development Action (BUILD Project). 

The Population, Health, Environment and Sustainable Development (PHED) African Media (PAM) award, will recognize journalists and media houses for outstanding coverage of interconnected development challenges and solutions.

The co-creators noted that stories must capture the integration of population, family planning, sexual rights and reproductive health rights (SRHR), climate change, and sustainable development, which should be presented in innovative ways such as the use of multimedia formats.

The BUILD Project also hosted training for the journalists and other stakeholders from the region to enhance their capacity to comprehend the nexus and integration of health, including voluntary family planning and reproductive health and environment and climate change.

Speaking at the event, Clive Mutunga, the Director of the BUILD Project said that through this award, they aim to recognise and celebrate the vital role journalists play in shaping narratives around the complex, interconnected challenges and solutions within the population, health, environment, and sustainable development sectors.

“By showcasing exceptional reporting on these critical issues, we hope to inspire a greater depth and breadth of coverage, amplifying the visibility of these matters and their impact on the lived realities and experiences of people across the region,” he said.

In addition to recognising  journalists committed to covering PHED issues, this PHED African Media (PAM) award will boost policy dialogues across East Africa on the benefits of cross-sectoral solutions for regional policy and program action.

The BUILD project is led by the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) (prime) in partnership with Leadership for Environment and Development Southern and Eastern Africa (LEAD SEA), PATH Foundation Philippines Inc. (PFPI), FHI 360, and Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA).