The Role of Journalists in Advocating SRH Self-Care : A Media Roundtable Discussion in Hawassa, Ethiopia.
A Media Roundtable Discussion on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Self-Care was held at the Hawassa Central Hotel on August 28, 2026, in a major effort to improve health communication. The event, titled “The Role of Journalists in Advocating SRH Self-Care,” brought together twenty journalists from leading media agencies across the region to explore how responsible and informed reporting can empower communities.
Journalists in attendance represented a wide network of media outlets, including the South Radio and Television Agency (SRTV) with correspondents from Sawla, Hawassa, Hossana, Arbaminch, Bensa Daye, and Yirga Chefe. They were joined by colleagues from Fana FM bureaus in Shashemene and Wolaita Sodo.
This gathering aimed to explore the critical role that journalists play in promoting sexual and reproductive health (SRH) self-care in Ethiopia.
Self-care for sexual and reproductive health is essential to enabling people to take charge of their reproductive health and make wise decisions. This topic is especially important in Ethiopia because of continuous efforts to enhance public health outcomes in the face of changing societal norms and health policy contexts. Better selfcare behaviors can be facilitated by raising public awareness of SRH issues through effective communication, as the roundtable discussion demonstrated.
Journalists talked about self-care and how it impacts various demographics, particularly women and youth. Additionally, participants talked about how the media can be a powerful tool for disseminating information, dispelling myths, and raising awareness of SRH issues—all of which can inspire individuals to take control of their health.
These journalists talked about the challenges they face when covering SRH topics, such as false information, cultural sensitivity, and the stigmatization of reproductive health issues.
Additionally, the roundtable encouraged journalists and health professionals to work together to produce timely, accurate, and culturally relevant news. Lastly, as young people are frequently more interested in digital content, participants talked about creative methods to use new media channels to reach larger audiences.
The Hawassa roundtable discussion highlighted how urgently Ethiopia needs to effectively advocate for sexual and reproductive health self-care. The participating media professionals pledged to increase awareness and education around SRH issues by utilizing the power of journalism. A key player in this endeavor is the Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which supports journalists in their endeavors to advance knowledgeable public health debate.The advancement of SRH self-care practices nationwide will depend heavily on the collaboration between journalists and health professionals as this conversation progresses.
Ethiopia can significantly improve sexual and reproductive health outcomes via continued cooperation, enabling people to take control of their health and wellbeing.