Stakeholders in the health and development sector have urged journalists in Kwara to expose human rights abuses, gender-based violence GBV, stigma and discrimination against vulnerable people.

They made the call at a sensitisation meeting on stigma, rights abuse, GBV and discrimination held in Ilorin under the Advancing Integrated Health Services Delivery for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Communicable Diseases project.

The Executive Director of the Hope for Family Development Initiative (HFDI), Mr Stephen Akinyele, urged journalists and social media influencers to use their platforms to challenge harmful misconceptions and provide accurate information about vulnerable groups.

He said media reports should protect the privacy, confidentiality and dignity of people living with HIV, adolescents, GBV survivors and other vulnerable people.

Akinyele said HFDI had reached 50,000 community members with sexual and reproductive health messages as part of its intervention in Kwara.

He added that 250 community and religious leaders had been sensitised, while 30 community-led initiatives addressing stigma and discrimination had been facilitated.

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

He said the project was funded by the Global Fund through the National AIDS and STIs Control Programme and implemented by Jhpiego, with HFDI 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 integrated sexual and reproductive health services with interventions on HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and sexually transmitted infections.

Oduenyi said the integrated approach enabled clients to access multiple services during a single visit, thereby reducing the time and cost of obtaining healthcare.

She disclosed that Jhpiego currently supports 15 primary healthcare centres across the three local government areas through training, mentoring, supportive supervision and monitoring.

She said the intervention also promotes skilled birth attendance as part of efforts to reduce maternal and newborn deaths.

The stakeholders called for sustained engagement with traditional and religious leaders, Ward Development Committees and other community structures to address stigma and gender-based violence.

They also 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.