March 28, 2024

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IGIHE Journalist win a Prestigious Award in Reproductive Health Reporting

Niyomwungeri Cyprien receiving Award on Friday, 20 December 2019

Niyomwungeri Cyprien, a senior journalist at IGIHE News website has won Rwf 1,000,000 as the outstanding Journalist who has produced the best reproductive Health story in the category of Online and Print newspapers.

Five other journalists also won prizes in their respective categories.

The 4th edition of the Annual Reproductive Health Journalism Awards was organised under theme “Enhancing Media Participation in Advancing Sexual & Reproductive Health & Rights in Rwanda.

Speaking to TOPAFRICANEWS shortly after getting Award, Niyomwungeri said that this is the recognition of the role that media play in daily to day life of the Society.

He explains that the story he submitted for the competition was about a young girl who was defiled by an adult which resulted into the pregnancy and to avoid serious consequences that may affect the girl’s life, the pregnancy was terminated, thanks to the new law on the protection of defiled children that gave a green light to the termination of that premature pregnancy.

“Really, the main objective of my story was to raise awareness on the new law.” He said.

“There are so many people outside there who are not aware of that law. So through the responsibilities of the media, mine was to educate and raise awareness in the society.” He added.

The law determining offences and penalties in general that was enacted in August 2018 defines child defilement as committing any of these sex related acts: insertion of a sexual organ into the sexual organ, anus or mouth of the child; insertion of any organ of the human body into a sexual organ or anus of a child; performing any other act on the body of a child for the purpose of bodily pleasure.

According to the 2018 law determining offences and penalties in general, upon conviction, any person who commits child defilement is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than 20 years and not more than 25 years [if the victim is 14 years or older].

However, the law provides that if defilement is committed on a child under 14 years, the penalty is life imprisonment that cannot be mitigated by any circumstances.

Life imprisonment also applies if child defilement committed on a child of 14 years of age or older has resulted in an incurable illness or disability, the penalty is life imprisonment.

Returning to the Awards, in the other categories: In the category of TV, ladies beaten everyone. Yvette Umutesi, with a story on family planning and Igihozo Amiella who did a story on cervical cancer are the winners. For Radio: Naomi Irakoze and Onesphore Yadusoneye are the winners. Prudence Kwizera also from IGIHE News website won the second prize in Online and Print category.

The competition was organized by HDI Rwanda in close collaboration with the Rwanda Media Commission, a media self-regulatory Body.

HDI Rwanda advocates for and supports, inclusive, health-friendly policies and services for everyone regardless of social, cultural, economic or any other status.

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