The United Nations Joint Programme on HIV and AIDS (UN-JUPSA), Uganda Aids Commission, the Ministry of ICT and the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) have announced 2021 media awards on HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health, and gender-based violence reporting.
The awards, launched by UN-JUPSA in December 2020, honour distinguished reporting on Uganda’s aspirations to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, halting and reversing the spread of HIV, and contributing to the achievement of related Millennium Development Goals.
These awards also recognise the contribution of journalists, media managers and owners, and independent content creators in achieving the UNAIDS vision of zero new infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero Discrimination.
This new programme seeks to promote high quality, consistent and effective coverage of the national response to HIV/AIDS, gender-based violence, and sexual and reproductive health in order to:
The awards are open to journalists, independent content producers, online media platforms and media houses in Uganda for works produced between July 1 2020 and August 30 2021.
There are 14 competition categories in this awards programme, namely:
Best news story – Three separate awards will be given for the best news stories produced for print, broadcast and online platforms.
Best feature story – Three separate awards will be given for the best feature stories produced for print, broadcast and online platforms.
Best investigative story – Three separate awards will be given for the best investigative stories produced print, broadcast and online platforms.
Best newspaper, television, radio and online platforms.
HIV fast-track ambassador award.
Officials said that ACME will receive, sort and submit the entries to a panel of 12 experts comprising a combination of distinguished journalists, journalism educators and news leaders with expertise across the media spectrum.
The panel will judge all entries, select all winners and present a report of its assessment during the awards ceremony.
Key dates
July 1-submission of entries and nominations begins,
30 September, entries close
November 15 will be the announcement of shortlist
December1 will be the day for the awards ceremony and winners will receive a substantial prize, a commemorative plaque and a framed certificate.
