The Namibian journalists shine at One Economy Foundation’s media awards

The Namibian print, digital media and radio journalists scooped awards at One Economy Foundation’s media awards in Windhoek on Friday.

Journalists were awarded on their efforts in impactful reporting of sexual reproductive health, gender-based violence and mental health.

The Namibian’s Shelleygan Petersen emerged as the winner of the print category with ‘Workplaces fail nursing mothers’, followed by The Namibian’s Tracy Tafirenyika with ‘Police investigate student sex exploitation’.

Desert Radio journalist Charlotte Nambadja scooped first prize in the radio category with ‘Love should not hurt’.

She was followed by Focus Fm’s Sirka Simon with ‘Chronic mental health issues’.

The digital media award winner was Shaun Adams with ‘Access to contraception and family’, followed by sister Namibia’s Hildegard Titus with ‘Namibia decriminalises sodomy’

The television awards went to Namibian Broadcasting Corporation’s Selima Henock with ‘Namibia and Angola in talks over plight of Angolan children’, followed by Elago Shitaatala with ‘Voices against violence’.

Nambadja says her story of gender-based violence speaks of how women and men have died or experienced emotional and physical abuse at the hands of those they love.

“It also tells how grieving families became hopeless due to justice delayed, hoping for justice to be served. Some use the term passion ‘passion killing’. There is nothing passionate about killing. People are supposed to feel protected and loved when in a romantic relationship.”

Nambadja’s story also tells of a pensioner (80) who was raped and murdered two years ago, and yet no suspect has been apprehended, leaving the family with no closure.

“We do not tell stories to win, but to sensitise the listeners on the impact this has on families left behind. I commend One Economy foundation for recognising the work of journalism. I thank Desert FM production officer Enok Kaumba who edited the documentary,” she says

Tafirenyika says the achievement would not have been possible without the guidance and support of The Namibian’s Investigative Unit editor, Shinovene Immanuel.

“We dedicated months of research, interviews and consultations to produce a well-balanced and impactful story. One of the key motivations behind this investigation was the alarming rise of children falling victim to online sexual exploitation, particularly through social media platforms like Instagram,” she says.

She notes that Namibia currently lacks specific legislation to protect minors from such forms of online exploitation, leaving them vulnerable to predators.

She commends One Economy Foundation for motivating journalists to continue exposing critical societal issues and reinforcing the importance of investigative reporting in driving meaningful change.

Peterson says that although sexual and reproductive health rights are pertinent and essential to women, it is not prioritised.

“Pregnancy, giving birth and nursing afterwards are known to be part of life yet these considerations aren’t made as part of work life which is not right. It is considered as a luxury rather than a basic necessity for working women to have access to nursing facilities.”

She says the award is a win for access to information and sexual and reproductive health rights.