Naija Feminists
Applications are open for the Naija Feminists Media Editorial Fellowship on Reproductive Health 2026, a journalism fellowship designed for media professionals across Africa who are committed to gender focused storytelling and social change. The programme is organised by Naija Feminists Media as part of its commitment to advancing feminist journalism and strengthening reporting on issues affecting women and girls.
The 2026 fellowship will focus on reproductive health and reproductive rights in Africa. It is designed to equip selected journalists with the knowledge, investigative reporting skills, ethical storytelling approaches and professional mentorship needed to produce meaningful journalism on reproductive health care and the experiences of women and girls.
The fellowship will take place from October 26 to December 11, 2026, and will select 16 journalists. During the programme, fellows will develop original stories examining reproductive health care, including access to reproductive and neonatal health services, safe abortion, lived experiences, policies and the barriers that women and girls face when exercising their reproductive rights.
The Naija Feminists Media Editorial Fellowship is an annual initiative that supports journalists working at the intersection of gender, media and social justice. The 2026 edition places reproductive health at the centre of its editorial focus.
Reproductive health is closely connected to reproductive rights, which enable individuals to make informed decisions about their bodies and reproduction. However, women and girls continue to encounter legal, social, cultural, economic and health care barriers that affect their ability to access appropriate services and exercise these rights.
Through the fellowship, selected journalists will receive training and mentorship to investigate these issues and develop journalism that brings greater attention to the realities experienced by women and girls.
The programme also seeks to build a community of storytellers who can apply a gender lens to reproductive health reporting and contribute to more informed conversations about policy, health care and accountability.
• Mentorship from experienced media professionals
• Guidance from healthcare professionals and reproductive rights advocates
• Training in reproductive and gender inclusive health investigative reporting
• Training in narrative writing and ethical storytelling
• Publication opportunities through Naija Feminists Media
• Networking with journalists, activists, healthcare professionals and media leaders
• Opportunity to contribute to an international 16 Days of Activism campaign
• Increased visibility for fellows and their journalism
• Certificate of Participation upon successful completion
• Opportunities for collaboration and long term professional development
The fellowship will focus on journalism and storytelling related to reproductive health and reproductive rights.
Key areas include:
• Reproductive health care
• Reproductive and neonatal health care access
• Safe abortion
• Lived experiences of women and girls
• Reproductive rights and access to services
• Policies affecting reproductive health
• Legal, social, cultural and economic barriers
• Health care barriers affecting women and girls
• Gender inclusive investigative reporting
• Ethical storytelling
• Misinformation and harmful narratives surrounding reproductive health
• Public education and informed conversations
• Legislative and institutional accountability
• Open to journalists and media professionals across Africa
• Applicants should be committed to gender focused storytelling
• Applicants should demonstrate an interest in reproductive health and reproductive rights reporting
• Applicants should have a passion for social justice
• Applicants should be interested in challenging harmful narratives through journalism
• Applicants should be willing to develop an original story during the fellowship
• Applicants should be prepared to engage with the fellowship training and mentorship activities
• A 200 word pitch for a story idea the applicant would like to pursue on reproductive rights
• The proposed story should relate to reproductive health or reproductive rights
• The pitch should demonstrate the issue the applicant intends to investigate and the journalistic direction of the proposed story
Applicants should ensure that their proposed story is relevant to the fellowship theme and has the potential to highlight lived realities, contributing factors, barriers or solutions related to reproductive rights.
The Naija Feminists Media Editorial Fellowship has several objectives for the 2026 cohort.
• Train journalists in reproductive and gender inclusive health investigative reporting
• Strengthen narrative writing and ethical storytelling skills
• Build a cohort of storytellers who apply a gender perspective to reproductive health reporting
• Produce high quality journalism that contributes to public discussion
• Encourage greater accountability on reproductive rights
• Provide mentorship, collaboration and networking opportunities
• Sensitise the public about reproductive health issues
• Facilitate informed conversations around reproductive rights
• Challenge misinformation, stigma and harmful narratives surrounding reproductive health
A central part of the fellowship is the production of an original journalistic story. Each selected fellow will explore a reproductive rights issue through reporting that considers lived experiences, contributing factors, barriers and possible solutions.
The stories are intended to go beyond simply describing reproductive health challenges. Fellows will be supported to develop journalism that can educate audiences, challenge misinformation and contribute to conversations about institutional and legislative accountability.
The completed reports will be published during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence campaign. This provides fellows with an opportunity to have their work published through Naija Feminists Media while contributing to a broader international campaign focused on gender based violence and related issues affecting women and girls.
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