Stakeholders in the health and development sector have charged journalists in Kwara State to expose rights abuses, gender-based violence, discrimination and stigma against vulnerable people, while ensuring that reports protect the dignity and privacy of victims.

The stakeholders made the call during a sensitisation meeting on Stigma, Rights Abuse, Gender-Based Violence and Discrimination organised under the Advancing Integrated Health Services Delivery for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Communicable Diseases project.

This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Press Secretary of the Kwara State Ministry of Health, Saad Hamdalat, in Ilorin.

The Executive Director of the Hope for Family Development Initiative, Stephen Akinyele, said journalists and social media influencers must use their platforms to counter harmful misconceptions and promote accurate information about vulnerable populations.

“The media must disseminate accurate and stigma-sensitive information, challenge harmful misconceptions and protect the privacy, confidentiality and dignity of people living with HIV, adolescents, GBV survivors and other vulnerable groups,” he said.

He stressed that HFDI had reached 50,000 community members with sexual and reproductive health social and behaviour change messages as part of its intervention in the state.

The HFDI executive director added that 250 community and religious leaders had been sensitised, while 30 community-led initiatives on stigma and discrimination had also been facilitated.

According to him, the organisation had also organised 50 referral coordination meetings and facilitated and documented 2,470 completed referrals to strengthen access to sexual and reproductive health and communicable disease services.

Akinyele said the project was funded by the Global Fund through the National AIDS and STIs Control Programme and implemented by Jhpiego, with HFDI serving as an implementing partner in Offa, Asa and Moro Local Government Areas.

Also speaking, the Project Director, Chioma Oduenyi, represented by the Jhpiego State Team Lead, Williams Awotunde, said the project was designed to integrate sexual and reproductive health services with interventions on HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and sexually transmitted infections.

Oduenyi said, “The integrated approach allows clients to access multiple services during a single visit, helping to reduce the time and cost of accessing healthcare.”

She disclosed that Jhpiego currently supports 15 primary healthcare centres across Offa, Asa and Moro LGAs through training, mentoring, supportive supervision and monitoring.

The project director said the intervention also promotes skilled birth attendance as part of efforts to reduce maternal and newborn mortality.

She further called for sustained community engagement involving traditional and religious leaders, Ward Development Committees and other community structures to address stigma and gender-based violence.

The stakeholders urged the government, healthcare providers, communities, development partners and media organisations to strengthen collaboration to promote equitable access to healthcare and protect vulnerable people from stigma, discrimination and rights abuses.