Africa-Press – Mauritius. The important role of the media to create awareness on breaking the stigma around infertility, supporting girl’s education, ending child marriage and female genital mutilation as well as stopping gender based violence at all levels, was the focus of a Community Awareness Programme, held on 01 April 2022 at Le Voila, Bagatelle.
The event, jointly organised by the Merck Foundation in partnership with the Media Trust targeted media representatives of Mauritius with the aim to emphasise on the role that the media plays to create a cultural shift to break these stigmas. The Call for Application for the Merck Foundation ‘More Than a Mother’ Medical Recognition Awards 2022 is open.
Media representatives and media students are invited to showcase their work to raise awareness about one or more of the following social issues such as: breaking infertility stigma, supporting girl education, women empowerment, ending child marriage, ending female genital mutilation and/ or stopping gender based violence at all levels.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Merck Foundation and President of Merck ‘More Than a Mother’ Movement, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, and the Chairman of the Media Trust, Mr. Chayman P. Surajbali co-chaired the event.
Dr Kelej spoke of the role of the Merck Foundation to contribute in empowering women and girls through education and in addressing social and health issues affecting women.
The Foundation, she said, is partnering with media across Africa to be the voice of the voiceless. Creating awareness through songs, fashion and films to stop these social ills were also highlighted by Dr Kelej.
Young doctors are being trained from 42 countries to help in addressing these issues, she said. Mr Soorajbally, for his part, dwelt on the importance to accelerate the pace of change in attitude regarding gender bias.
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