By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
Twenty working Journalists in Bauchi State have been trained by Nigeria’s Country office of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in partnership with the Bauchi State Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning and Multilateral Coordination, on reporting of 9th Country UNFPA assisted programmes in Bauchi State.
The 2-day training was facilitated by a CSO, Journalists for Public Health and Development Initiative (J4PD), the visibility partner of the UNFPA project implementation in Bauchi State.
Objectives of the training are aimed at enabling Journalists to have better understanding of UNFPA programme in Nigeria, be acquainted with the guidelines for reporting UNFPA programmes and have better understanding of UNFPA key messages when reporting on family planning, maternal health, gender, GBV and demographic change.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Audu Alayande, Public Health Physician and Reproductive Health Specialist who serves as an Assistant Representative and Officer-in-Charge of the Kaduna sub-office for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Nigeria, commended members of the Journalists for Public Health and Development Initiative (J4PD), for giving visibility to the activities and programmes of the UNFPA in Bauchi State.
He described the partnership as impactful as it has given adequate visibility to the UNFPA efforts at serving the people effectively thereby thereby enabling the funders to know what was happening to the approved funding.
He also expressed confidence that the partnership will go a long way in ensuring that the target audience will be reached and understood the various interventions aimed at improving access to quality health.
In a keynote address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning and Multilateral Coordination, Ibrahim Rufai Ahmed, expressed the appreciation of the Ministry to UNFPA for its continued partnership and support towards advancing population and development priorities in the State.
He added, “We also commend the media partners particularly J4PD for their commitment to promoting public awareness, disseminating accurate information, and supporting development initiatives especially UNFPA activities.”
According to him, “The media plays a critical role in shaping public opinion, influencing social behaviour, and promoting access to essential information on sexual and reproductive health, maternal health, gender equality, and the prevention of gender-based violence. Through responsible and effective communication, the J4PD can help address harmful practices, challenge misconceptions, amplify the voices of vulnerable groups, and encourage communities to embrace positive social change.”
The PS said that,,”This training is therefore timely, as it will strengthen the capacity of media Sub-IPs to develop and disseminate evidence-based, accurate, inclusive, and culturally appropriate messages. I urge participants to take full advantage of this opportunity to enhance their communication skills, deepen their understanding of UNFPA’s programme objectives, and strengthen collaboration with government institutions and other stakeholders.”
He further encouraged all participants to uphold professionalism, ethical reporting, confidentiality, and sensitivity when handling issues affecting women, young people, and other vulnerable populations.
According to him,”The impact of this training should be reflected in improved media engagement, increased public awareness, and measurable contributions to our development objectives.”
He assured that, “As a Ministry responsible for coordinating development planning, we recognise the importance of strategic partnerships in achieving sustainable development outcomes. We therefore reaffirm our commitment to working with UNFPA, the media, and other stakeholders to advance inclusive development and improve the well-being of our people.”
In her remarks, the Executive Director of the Journalists for Public Health and Development Initiative (J4PD), Elizabeth Kah explained that the group is a registered Nigerian non-profit, non-governmental, non-political, and non-religious organization dedicated to promoting sustainable development through strategic communication, advocacy, community engagement, and evidence-driven interventions.
She added, “Founded in 2018 by a network of experienced Journalists and media practitioners, J4PD emerged from the Bauchi Public Health Media Network with the vision of leveraging media as a powerful tool for social accountability, public awareness, and development transformation. In 2020, the organization was formally registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) of Nigeria.”
According to her, “Over the years, J4PD has evolved into a reputable development organization implementing projects and providing technical support in health, education, WASH, gender equality, climate resilience, governance, media development, and livelihood enhancement. The organization works closely with government institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, media houses, and local communities to improve the lives of vulnerable populations.”
Elizabeth Kah added that the Vision is to harness the power of journalism and community engagement to promote sustainable development, with a focus on vulnerable populations.
The Mission is a Nigeria where all individuals, regardless of their background or socio-economic status, have access to quality healthcare, education, clean water, and economic opportunities, enabling them to thrive and reach their full potential.
She commended UNFPA through the Ministry of Economic Planning and Multilateral Coordination for giving J4PD the opportunity to serve as the visibility partner for the project implementation saying the experience has been so wonderful in the past few years.
The J4PD ED stressed that the training was coming at the right time when Journalists need to be conversant with the reportage of UNFPA programme accurately in order to achieve the goals of healthy society.
A total of 20 Journalists drawn from various organizations in Bauchi State were selected to participate in the 2 days training with facilitators from the UNFPA, Country Office, Abuja delivering lectures.
