SRH Media Advocacy Workshop held in Adama on 17-18 November 2023!
FGAE in alliance with UNFPA has organized a two days ‘SRH Advocacy Workshop’ for media professionals working in TV, Radio and Print Medias. The event held on 17-18 November 2023 in Adama at Dallol Hotel. In this serious workshop, 10 journalists who are working in Government and private media houses in Addis Ababa and Adama cities were participated. The main intents of the workshop are to acquaint journalists with SRH knowledge, SRH advocacy and to make aware of them with SRH challenges. As a result, participants would be able to engage in the promotion of SRH interventions for their respective communities through their existing media platforms.
The event was began with an opening remark of W/ro Alemitu Korbu, Chair of Advisory Board at FGAE-Central Area Office. In her speech, she emphasized that FGAE has long lasting strategic partnership with the media houses and still continued operating with Medias to reach SRH/FP services to underserved communities across the project sites of the Association. Then, presentations were glowingly made on advocacy and lobbying techniques to influence decision makers on SRH agenda by Ato Gebeyehu Mekonnen, V/President of FGAE via connecting with his real life experiences. He was also prudently inculcated the concept of volunteerism to the attendants. Dr. Wasihun Reda, Medical Doctor at FGAE-CAO Model Clinic addressed the participants on the general theory, historical background of FP/SRH services and challenges in Ethiopia.
During the second day, Ato Mohamed Yimer, FGAE-Addis Ababa Area Office’s Manager, introduced the overall tasks of his office and graciously called upon the journalists to visit his office at any time to reach out the targeted communities on the overall SRH services delivery being rendered under his office mission. Subsequently, Ato Difabachew Setegn, Coordinator of USAID-Kefeta Project at FGAE had given unblemished explanation on the current SRH situation in Ethiopia precisely on the youth population. In his presentation, he vividly visualized the demographic dividend with its pros and cons of SRH demand of the marginalized youth group to the participants.
As part of the workshop, there was health facility visit held on FGAE-Adama Model Clinic. In this case, journalists could observe the SRH services being provided to the surrounding community. And, for media conception they have also clutched SRH media contents to be utilized for the production of radio, TV and print media platforms.
Lastly, the participants have undertaken to work with FGAE in the promotion of SRH services to the general community. Five of media experts among the participants have pledged that they will be a registered volunteer of the Association and assured to exert their professional commitments towards quality service delivery of its targeted beneficiaries and to the overall progress of the Association as well.
