Journalists Urged to Report on Sexual and Reproductive Health
LILONGWE, Malawi — The Sexual Reproductive Health & Rights Africa Trust (SAT) has urged journalists to investigate and report on sexual and reproductive health issues in Malawi, writes Wendi Mkandawire.
During a media training session on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, SAT Country Director Robert Mangwazu said the country is continuing to see high rates of early marriages and teenage pregnancies that need support and interventions.
"There is a lot to be done to end marriage pregnancies in this country, and the media will help us to disseminate the information to the right people," he added.
Emanuel Otukpa, a researcher at the African and Health Research Centre in Kenya, said there is a prevalence of teenage pregnancies, and research was trying to understand the challenges girls are going through.
"Close to 700 adolescent girls who are pregnant or parenting; their experiences are quite challenging because they are unable to go to school and are being discriminated against by the community," he noted.
Otukpa further said their research conducted in Malawi from 2021 to 2022 found that many children are engaged in child marriages, which is fuelling poverty.
Billy Amos, a journalist from Nkhoma Synod radio, said the training will help journalists report more on sexual and reproductive health issues in Malawi.
"In Malawi, there is a need to find better ways, or those who are making policies should find ways to end these issues of early pregnancies," he said.