NFM Unveils 22 Fellows from Seven African Countries for #16DaysOfActivism Reporting on Reproductive Health

Naija Feminists Media (NFM) has unveiled 22 fellows from seven African countries for its 2026 Editorial Fellowship on reproductive health, an initiative aimed at strengthening investigative journalism on reproductive rights and the barriers women and girls face in accessing healthcare. The fellows, selected for the fellowship organised ahead of the 2026 #16DaysOfActivism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, represent Nigeria, Burkina Faso, South Sudan, Zimbabwe, Kenya, South Africa, and Malawi.

The 2026 fellowship builds on NFM’s inaugural Editorial Fellowship in 2025, which brought together 16 media professionals from Nigeria, Canada, Sierra Leone and South Africa to strengthen feminist journalism and investigative reporting on femicide. This year’s edition shifts its focus to reproductive health and rights, an area where women and girls continue to face social, cultural, economic, legal and healthcare barriers. The fellowship will run from October 26 to December 11, 2026. It will equip participating journalists with skills in investigative reporting, gender-inclusive health reporting, narrative writing and ethical storytelling, alongside mentorship and opportunities to collaborate with media professionals, healthcare practitioners and reproductive rights advocates.

Each fellow is expected to produce an investigative story examining reproductive health and rights, including access to reproductive and neonatal healthcare, safe abortion, women’s lived experiences, relevant policies and the barriers that prevent women and girls from exercising their reproductive rights. The stories will be published during the 16 Days of Activism campaign to challenge harmful narratives, raise public awareness and demand accountability from institutions responsible for protecting women’s reproductive rights.

Nigeria accounts for the most fellows, with 11 participants, followed by Kenya with four. South Sudan and Zimbabwe each have two fellows, while Burkina Faso, South Africa and Malawi each have one. Through the fellowship, NFM aims to strengthen feminist reporting on reproductive health by supporting journalists to document women’s experiences, investigate barriers to healthcare and produce stories that contribute to public understanding and institutional accountability.

The programme also gives journalists across the seven countries an opportunity to collaborate on reporting that centres women and girls, challenges misinformation, and examines how policies and healthcare systems affect their reproductive rights.