SHE & Rights Media Awards To 8 Journalists In African And Asia Pacific Regions

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'As we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and its Platform for Action (1995) this year, we are called to reflect not only on how far we have come but how far we must still go. The Beijing Declaration was a bold promise to the world's women and girls that their rights, dignity and health would be non-negotiable, that promise remains unfulfilled,' said Nazneen Damji, Chief (ad interim), Governance and Participation Section, and Senior Policy Advisor, Gender Equality, HIV and Health, UN Women. She has over 25 years of professional experience promoting women's rights and gender equality worldwide.
' Universal health coverage cannot be truly universal if it does not prioritize gender equality and human rights. Health systems that ignore the unique needs and barriers faced by women and girls are not only unjust they are ineffective,' she said at a special Side Event alongside WHA78 organised by Global Centre for Health Diplomacy and Inclusion (CeHDI) and partners.
'We are facing a rising coordinated push back on women's and girls' health and rights, particularly their sexual and reproductive health and rights. In just the past few months we have seen drastic funding cuts, impacting not only civil society and governments, but also UN agencies that provide abortion care and life-saving HIV treatment. This is not just a budget issue, it is a crisis of political will. Let us be clear: sexual and reproductive health and rights are not optional, they are fundamental human rights and yet only 56% of married women aged 15 to 49 can make decisions about their own reproductive health. This is not a statistic, it is a reflection of deep-rooted structural inequalities and harmful social norms that continue to deny women agency over their own bodies,' said Nazneen Damji of UN Women.
The consequences are devastating:
Every 2 minutes a woman dies from preventable pregnancy related causes
In 2023, over 700 women died each day from complications that could have been avoided with access to quality care
HIV incidents among adolescent girls and young women remains alarmingly high in parts of sub-Saharan Africa where they are more than three times as likely to acquire HIV as their male peers in at least 22 countries
Gender discrimination block access to healthcare
'These are not isolated issues these are symptoms of a global system that continues to devalue the lives and health of women and girls. The newly released World Report on the Social Determinants of Health Equity confirms that gender discrimination blocks access to health care even when user fees are removed. Women especially those who are young poor migrants or from ethnic minorities, still avoid care because of abuse and mistreatment,' said Nazneen Damji of UN Women.
UHC is fundamental to reducing health inequalities
'We are seeing a global push back against gender equality and the principles of human rights to health which are inextricably linked. In my mandate as a UN Special Rapporteur on Right To Health, I have recommended a human rights approach for many of the thematic areas recalling the political declaration of the UN High Level Meeting and resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly 2019 on Universal Health Coverage under the theme 'Universal health coverage moving together to build a healthier world.' I stress and underscore that universal health coverage is fundamental to reducing health inequalities, and ensuring just, peaceful and inclusive societies,' said Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng, United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Right To Health and Executive Director, Centre for Global Health Policy & Politics.
'The world is experiencing protracted war, humanitarian crisis, economic crisis, climate crisis, genocide, all of which had an impact on the right to health,' said Dr Tlaleng. 'Inequality, violence, stigmatisation, discrimination and criminalisation, all are incompatible with the realization of the right to health and therefore impact universal
health coverage,' she added. 'Delivering on UHC in an era of push back against gender equality and human rights must consider that every human being is entitled - with no discrimination - to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, and also a life conducive to living of dignity.'
'We saw during COVID-19 lockdown time that people who were from the most marginalised groups, were furthest pushed behind. These included: peoples from LGBTQI+ communities, women in all diversities, women in sex work, women who use drugs, or young girls, for whom there was hardly any access to care, support and services. While gender-based violence was so much being reported (despite being underreported) during the pandemic, we have learned from it the hard way that how we want to bring in the marginalised people, and strengthen our health systems, and make them resilient in gender-transformative manner,' said Dr Harjyot Khosa, Regional External Relations Director, International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and member of Civil Society Engagement Mechanism for UHC 2030.
'We need to engage marginalised communities in all their diversities to adapt and redesign health systems to better protect them within the framework of universal health coverage,' Dr Khosa added.
Dr Harjyot Khosa reminded all that our health systems are defined and designed for heterosexual married people, like 'good couples' as per the harmful social norms rooted in patriarchy. 'So, perception and level of stigma and misogyny within healthcare systems is what we all grapple with every day. Sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice (SRHRJ) has to be the first push to deliver on UHC at all levels,' she said.
Racism, inequities and injustices plague UHC
'Just because of the colour of your skin, people become a victim of sexual assault. When they go the police, they are turned away because they are 'not citizens of the country.' Or a woman is denied mental healthcare because of language barriers. These are the realities I face daily in Dominican Republic,' said Dr Eliezer Lappots-Abreu, Executive Director, Health Horizons International, Dominican Republic.
'Although we live in a country where health access and universal health coverage is part of the norm, but it is not accessible for everybody because it excludes women of colour and immigrants. One of my patients, a Haitian woman was diagnosed with cervical cancer but when we connected her to services to treat her cancer, she was turned away because of the language barrier. When we arranged a translator for her, we were told that they can understand her but unable to serve her without documentation. Patient wondered if her options was to get palliative care or just die in the house,' he added.
UHC is about access, not coverage alone
'Survivors of gender-based violence also need access to healthcare services. But that is often restricted for a wide variety of reasons including financial barriers, lack of capacity of the health system itself to be able to respond, social barriers like stigma and discrimination, as well as because healthcare system is at times a site of violence itself,' said Fadekemi Akinfaderin, Chief Global Advocacy Officer, Fos Feminista (International Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice).
'I tend to think myself as a privileged person (educated middleclass woman) but when I had both my kids, I was denied access to epidural (epidural is a type of regional anesthesia which is often given during labour and delivery to relieve pain). I was denied epidural in a health centre on the basis that the healthcare worker wanted me to give birth like a 'Hebrew woman.' I do not look Hebrew at all!' said Fedekemi Akinfaderin.
Fadekemi belives that by health systems reforms, we can not only deliver on UHC but also help progress towards ending gender-based violence. She also calls for linking legal system with healthcare system to enhance support for those facing violence in any form.
Fadekemi pointed out towards alarming growth in authoritarianism, and erosion and attack on democracy which is directly connected to the anti-rights push.
UHC is not about coverage but universal health Care
'It is not accidental that C in UHC stands for coverage in the official language but it should be about Care – Universal Health Care. No wonder due to governments focussing on UHC, or coverage, we see increasing space for 'health insurance.' Universal Health Care (and not Universal Health Coverage) better links us with the spirit of Alma Mata Declaration of 1978 (which heralded WHO led call to deliver on Health For All),' said Baba Aye, Health and Social Services Officer, Public Services International (PSI), who earlier worked for two decades in the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria.
'We cannot talk of universal health care without health workers for all,' said Baba Aye of PSI. He said that when 13% of maternal mortality are from unsafe abortions, and two-thirds of healthcare workers are women themselves, imagine the struggle in countries where abortion is criminalised.
Leprosy response also needs to integrate gender equality and human rights
'Women with leprosy face unique and often invisible struggles. At home, they are often unable to express their problems, even to other women. This is not the case for men. In family matters, whether it is making decisions or purchasing essentials, women are frequently excluded. Gender discrimination plays a major role here,' said Maya Ranavare, President of Association of People Affected by Leprosy (APAL).
'Women with leprosy receive lower wages than men for the same work, which is a clear example of gender inequality. These issues are compounded by the stigma of leprosy. But perhaps the most serious impact is in the area of healthcare. Women with leprosy often suffer in silence. Social stigma, economic dependence, and a lack of agency prevent them from seeking timely medical help or sharing their experiences. This intersection of gender and disease requires urgent attention. If we want to truly support people affected by leprosy, we must also address the gender-based injustices they face every day,' she added.
'We need to ensure people living with HIV are covered under UHC (under Indian government's health insurance). Out-of-pocket expenses are often catastrophic for people with HIV, especially women who face inter-sectional stigma and discrimination at all levels,' said Daxa Patel, co-founder and former President of National Coalition of People Living with HIV in India (NCPI Plus) and leader of Gujarat State Network of People living with HIV (GSNP Plus).
Ground realities of gender diverse peoples in Afghanistan
Parwen Hussaini of Afghanistan is at risk of her life along with her lesbian lover Maryam (Maryam is under arrest). Parwen serves as a Programme Associate at Roshaniya, a LGBTQI+ rights group in Afghanistan.
Parwen was born in Gazhni province of Afghanistan and identifies as a lesbian and Afghan. She narrowly escaped persecution and arrest by the Taliban on 20th March 2025 and she is now in Iran. Parwen and her lover were engaged to get married when they tried to escape. Her lover (Maryam) is being tortured and imprisoned by the Taliban and in prison for over one and a half months (as on 10 May 2025). Right now, Parwen faces an uncertain future in Iran because if her visa expires, they will deport her back to Afghanistan and if that happens, she will be imprisoned and tortured and possibly face a death penalty.
Nemat Sadat, CEO of 'Roshaniya' (an advocacy network dedicated to assisting LGBTQI+ Afghans) and one of the first Afghans to have openly come out as gay and to campaign for LGBTQI+ rights, gender freedom and liberty, said: 'We have a list of over 1,000 LGBTQI+ peoples who still remain in Afghanistan. To this date, we have supported the safe evacuation of 265 people to different countries and we hope that Parwen will also get to a safe place.'
South Sudan conflict and women and other marginalised persons
'The ongoing conflict in South Sudan has disempowered a lot of excluded and marginalised peoples including women, LGBTQI+, people living with HIV, persons with disabilities, sex workers, among others. So, when it comes to gender justice the issue of gender-based violence becomes central. There is physical violence, domestic violence, and sexual harassment and sexual abuse. They are raping women rampantly. Due to the conflict there is also increased risk for the displacement of women and girls in South Sudan (which puts them at greater risk of violence). There is also limited access to justice and support for young women, women with disability, and people with HIV because of their condition,' said Rachel Adau, Executive Director of the Women's Empowerment Centre South Sudan.
1st Prize | SHE & Rights Media Awards 2024-2025
Ojoma Akor from Nigeria is a multiple award-winning journalist with over a decade of experience covering health, gender and development among others. She presently heads the health desk of Daily Trust newspaper, a national daily in Nigeria. She has written extensively on sexual and reproductive health and rights, maternal and child health, gender equality, health security, immunization, infectious and non- communicable diseases, among others. Akor has received many awards, fellowships and story grants for gender, health and science reporting.
2nd Prize | SHE & Rights Media Awards 2024-2025
Catherine Murombedzi from Zimbabwe is a multi-award-winning freelance health and science journalist from Zimbabwe. She writes for various media outlets including Masvingo Mirror, Zimbabwe Express, The Herald and The Sunday Mail. She advocates for the rights and dignity of women and girls, (especially of the marginalised communities) striving to create a world where their health and well-being are prioritised.
3rd Prize | SHE & Rights Media Awards 2024-2025
Kalpana Acharya of Nepal is Editor-in-Chief of Nepal's only woman led bilingual multimedia news portal -Health TV Online. She also hosts HEALTH FIRST Podcast, one of Nepal's most widely viewed health focused podcasts. She is a founding member of APCAT Media Alliance & Global AMR Media Alliance. Throughout her journalism career spanning over 2 decades Kalpana has reported extensively on public health, gender and women's sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Special Mention Prize | SHE & Rights Media Awards 2024-2025
Babacar Sene from Senegal is a French language journalist. Babacar is the Founder, and Publication Director of the Journal Agropasteur. He writes on topics related to Environment and Health, particularly gender equality in rural areas, women's rights, women's autonomy, and the resilience of agropastoral households.
Special Mention Prize | SHE & Rights Media Awards 2024-2025
Audrey Galawu from Zimbabwe is a journalist and Assistant Editor Zim Now. Passionate about gender, health, and social justice, she uses storytelling to amplify underrepresented voices and challenge inequality. to protect the right to health and promote gender equity across Africa.
Special Mention Prize | SHE & Rights Media Awards 2024-2025
Betty Herlina from Indonesia is a Bahasa language journalist, who started her journalistic career in Indonesia in 2008. After nearly 13 years of working in a media company, she chose to become a freelance journalist and founded Bincang Perempuan (bincangperempuan.com) in Bahasa which translates to Talk to Women. Betty is passionate about telling stories on women's issues to expose systemic barriers and drive change. She believes that everyone deserves access to health, and no voice should go unheard.
Special Mention Prize | SHE & Rights Media Awards 2024-2025
Yecenu Sasetu from Nigeria is a dedicated health journalist with a decade of experience in radio and digital content creation. She is currently the Health Producer/Editor at Montage Radio, Abuja and broadcasts 99.9 KissFM Abuja. She combines her extensive training in journalism with a passion for development work, using media to drive positive social change.
Special Mention Prize | SHE & Rights Media Awards 2024-2025
Hamu Madzedze from Zimbabwe has 13 years of experience as a health journalist and has worked as a reporter and Radio English Desk Sub Editor with Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation. She currently runs her own blog called 365HealthDiaries which focuses on health and gender issues.
More about SHE & Rights Media Awards 2024-2025
SHE & Rights Media Awards hybrid Ceremony was held at Side Event around 78th World Health Assembly (WHA78) of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland on 22nd May 2025.
The WHA78 Side Event "Delivering on UHC in an era of pushback against gender equality and human right to health" featured speakers included Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Right to Health; Nazneen Damji, Chief, a.i. Governance and Participation Section; and Senior Policy Advisor, Gender Equality, HIV and Health, UN Women; Fadekemi Akinfaderin, Chief Global Advocacy Officer, Fos Feminista (International Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice); Dr Eliezer Lappots-Abreu, Executive Director, Health Horizons International, Dominican Republic; Dr Harjyot Khosa, Senior Technical Advisor, International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and member of Civil Society Engagement Mechanism for UHC 2030; Baba Aye, Health and Social Services Officer, Public Services International (PSI); Parwen (lesbian partner who is now in Iran and her lover Maryam arrested by Taliban) and Nemat (first gay person who came out open in Afghanistan); Rachel Adau, Executive Director, Women Empowerment Centre South Sudan; Maya Ranavare, President, Association of Persons Affected by Leprosy; Daxa Patel, National Coalition of People living with HIV in India; Debanjana Choudhuri, Executive Director, Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR); Dr David Parirenyatwa, Senator and former Health Minister, Zimbabwe & President ICASA 2025; Kelcey Armstrong-Walenczak and Biruk Tewedros, Global Center for Health Diplomacy and Inclusion (CeHDI) - moderator; and Shobha Shukla, CNS - moderator. Dr Haileyesus Getahun, CEO of HEDPAC and CeHDI and former founding Director of Quadripartite Joint Secretariat on Antimicrobial Resistance who had served the WHO for over 2 decades, also shared his insights.
SHE & Rights Media Awards were announced by the Global Center for Health Diplomacy and Inclusion (CeHDI) and CNS in September 2024 to shine a spotlight on those journalists and media actors who have reported on issues raised by monthly SHE & Rights sessions in gender sensitive and rights-based manner.
SHE & Rights (Sexual Health with Equity & Rights) initiative co-hosted by CeHDI, IPPF, WGNRR, ARROW, APCAT Media and CNS is committed to build, sustain and increase media understanding and engagement, around sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice (SRHRJ), bodily autonomy and other issues related to gender justice - with the lens of equity and human right to health – in Asia Pacific and African region.
During September 2024 to March 2025, there were 282 unique media URLs/ links from 21 countries based on issues raised by monthly SHE & Rights sessions. There were 11 member-panel of judges to screen these entries.