Tema, Apr. 14, GNA – Mrs. Laudia Sawer, an editor at the Ghana News Agency (GNA), has been honored with the 2024 Merck Foundation Media Recognition Award.
Mrs. Sawer secured first place in the “More Than a Mother” 2024 West Africa, Online category for her outstanding work in raising awareness about infertility. This was announced during a virtual award ceremony hosted by Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of the Merck Foundation, where winners from various African countries were recognized.
The Merck Foundation Africa Media Recognition Awards, created in collaboration with African First Ladies, aim to empower media professionals to raise awareness on critical issues such as infertility, child marriage, gender-based violence, and healthcare inequalities.
Mrs. Sawer’s award-winning piece, titled “Infertility Shaming: Addressing the Stigma of Childlessness in Ghanaian Society,” shed light on the stigma faced by childless couples in Ghana, covering cultural, ethnic, and religious factors. The feature also explored the causes of infertility, including male infertility, psychological effects, and available solutions.
In an interview with GNA, Mrs. Sawer emphasized how the Merck Foundation’s “More Than a Mother” campaign provides a vital platform to break the silence surrounding infertility in Africa. She pointed out the emotional toll faced by women who are often shamed or abandoned due to their inability to have children.
She also shared stories of couples being publicly singled out for prayers in churches, where their infertility struggles are exposed to the congregation, leading to further stigma and emotional distress. She explained how some religious teachings also contribute to feelings of inadequacy, making couples question if they are being punished for past wrongdoings.
Mrs. Sawer further discussed the cultural norms that unfairly place the blame of infertility on women, with little focus on male infertility. She also noted that events like naming ceremonies, traditionally joyful occasions, could become painful reminders of childlessness for many couples.
She called for early medical intervention for couples facing infertility, stressing the need to improve healthcare services and provide fertility care to prevent delays in treatment.
Additionally, her feature on empowering young women, titled “Demolishing Stereotypes: Empowering Girls to Build Up Their Future,” also contributed to her success in winning the top award.
Mrs. Sawer expressed that winning the award motivates her to continue writing health advocacy stories. She highlighted the importance of creating awareness on health issues such as diabetes, hypertension, HIV, and nutrition to bring about positive changes in lifestyle, policy, and healthcare delivery.
She thanked her editors for their support and mentioned that her award-winning stories align with the GNA’s advocacy work on health communication, gender issues, MSME promotion, and climate change. Mrs. Sawer encouraged fellow journalists to persist in raising awareness on such issues, despite the challenges of gathering information, reminding them to focus on the impact they want to make in society.
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