Media handbook on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria launched

Media coverage of HIV/AIDS related issues in Nigeria
recorded a boost Tuesday May 27 2003, with the launch of
the first-ever Media Handbook on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.

The publication is a product of a collaboration between
three organizations: Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS)
Nigeria, Development Communications Network, (DevComs) the
United Nations Information Center, (UNIC), Nigeria. The
launching held at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos.

Media coverage of HIV/AIDS issues in Nigeria has witnessed
a significant increase in recent times. According to a
print media monitoring report conducted by Journalists
Against AIDS (JAAIDS) Nigeria, about 1,846 articles
comprising news, feature stories, opinions and editorial
comments were published between March 2002 and March 2003.
375 news photographs and 71 cartoon strips on HIV/AIDS were
published during the period of the research.

Notwithstanding this encouraging level of response, obvious
gaps still exist. Omololu Falobi, Program Director, JAAIDS
identified some of these gaps as Â"insufficient
understanding of the science of HIV, poor knowledge of
ethical implications of HIV/AIDS coverage, use of
stigmatizing and disempowering language as well as
insufficient knowledge of authoritative sources of
information on AIDS.Â" Access to reliable and credible
HIV/AIDS resources was one way of addressing these gaps Â-
and the newly launched handbook seeks to provide exactly
that.

The handbook aims to promote qualitative and objective
reporting of HIV/AIDS in the Nigerian media by providing a
reliable, credible and authoritative source of information
on HIV/AIDS. The 90-page publication is divided into eight
sections. These include HIV/AIDS: The Facts, The Myths;
Ethical issues in reporting HIV/AIDS; Practical Guide to
Reporting HIV/AIDS, HIV/AIDS and Special Populations;
General Resources; Frequently Asked Questions; Facts and
Figures; and Glossary of HIV/AIDS Related Terms.

Product of a painstaking process spanning over 18 months,
the media handbook had inputs from practising journalists,
media trainers, communications experts, epidemiologists,
human rights advocates and people living with HIV/AIDS.
Funding support for the project came from a number of
United Nations agencies including UNAIDS, UNICEF, UNFPA and
UNDP. The end product is a publication described by the
bookÂ's reviewer, Mr. Kingsley Osadolor, deputy managing of
The Guardian Newspapers, as Â"a compendium and indispensable
guide on HIV/AIDS reporting, not just for the target
readers but also for members of the public wishing to
upgrade their knowledge on HIV/AIDSÂ".

For Professor Bolanle Awe, renowned professor of history,
who chaired the launch, the media handbook was an eye
opener. Â"It never really occurred to me that some of the
terminologies we used in discussing HIV/AIDS could be
stigmatizing,Â" she said. Chief Segun Olusola, respected
broadcaster and former Nigerian ambassador to Ethiopia,
described the handbook as Â"a necessary guide for
communicating information about HIV/AIDSÂ".

Guests particularly commended the spirit of collaboration
displayed by the three organizations that co-produced the
handbook, noting that it was a good example of the
partnership that is needed to confront the epidemic. Mr.
Finjap Njinga, director of UNIC described this as Â"a
partnership fired by the need and commitment to create
informed understanding of issues related to HIV/AIDSÂ".

The media handbook, said Njinga, is a modest contribution
to the immense work facing the media in mobilizing informed
public discussion about HIV/AIDS. Â"It is an endeavor to
explore ways by which the challenge posed by HIV/AIDS can
be effectively relayed to readers, listeners and viewersÂ",
he said.

An online version of the handbook will be available on the
website of Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS) Nigeria:
www.nigeria-aids.org by the third week of June 2003. For
copies of the print version, please contact any of the
following addresses.

Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS) Nigeria
Media Resource Centre on HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health
1st Floor, 42 Ijaye Road, Ogba, Lagos
Tel: 234-1-77331457
Email: [email protected]

Development Communications (Devcoms) Network
Media Resource and Advocacy Centre
26 Adebola Street, Off Adeniran Ogunsanya Street,
Surulere, Lagos. Tel: 234-1-7748397
Email: [email protected]

United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Nigeria
17,Alfred Rewane (formerly Kingsway) Road
Ikoyi, Lagos. Tel: 234-1-2694886
Fax: 234-1-2691934
Email: [email protected]

Kingsley Obom-Egbulem
Information Resource Officer
Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS) Nigeria
Email: [email protected]