In Madagascar, about 10 women die every day from pregnancy-related causes. Adolescents and people with disabilities often have limited access to accurate sexual and reproductive health information.
The country’s 2018 Family Planning Law gives women and adolescents the right to access contraception, counseling, and information, allowing them to make informed choices about their reproductive health, no matter their age or marital status.
But the law is not widely known or understood, meaning many people need more education and awareness to benefit from these rights.
To help communities understand and use this law, the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs as a consortium partner in the Women’s Integrated Health Services (WISH2) project, in collaboration with the local NGO ILONTSERA, trained journalists to become advocates for sexual and reproductive health and rights.
The program equipped these media professionals with the skills to report on those topics ethically, accurately, and in ways that encourage dialogue and behavior change.
In late October 2025, a three-day workshop in the city of Antsirabe brought together 17 journalists from Malagasy radio, print, television and online platforms. Participants learned about the Family Planning Law, social and behavioral change techniques, and gender-sensitive reporting.
Practical exercises helped them explore how media can influence understanding and behavior around family planning, sex education, HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence.
This initiative successfully empowered journalists to report on these issues ethically and accurately, fostering community dialogue, raising awareness, and promoting social and behavior change.
While the training made inroads, expanding the program to include more interactive workshops could enhance connections between journalists and local populations, says CCP’s Marieme Puccetti, a program officer on the project.
This approach to train journalists is particularly relevant for other WISH2 countries, as it bridges the gap between policy and community understanding, enabling tailored advocacy strategies that promote informed discussions on sexual and reproductive health for better health outcomes.
After the workshop, journalists participated in a two-month mentoring program, which supported them with story development, factchecking and focusing on ethical reporting practices given the sensitivity of sexual and reproductive health and rights topics.
“This mentorship not only helped maintain high-quality reporting but also ensured that the journalists approached these issues with the necessary care and respect, ultimately allowing them to produce a large volume of content while adhering to ethical standards,” said Puccetti.
Challenges arose. Some journalists initially struggled with technical concepts, and the pace of production risked affecting quality. Trainers simplified terminology, used participatory exercises, and provided regular feedback. Occasional disengagement was addressed through direct follow-up and reminder systems, ensuring participants stayed supported.
The results were notable. In two months, the journalists produced 130 media pieces – radio programs, articles, television reports, and online content – reaching regions including Antananarivo, Toliara and Toamasina. Coverage included family planning, sex education, HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health rights and gender-based violence, bringing critical information to communities that previously had limited access.
“Before this training, I saw reproductive health as a purely technical subject,” said one of the journalists trained, Vonona Rakotondratsimba of Radio Oasis. “Today, I understand that it is a matter of rights and human dignity.
“My real reward is knowing that my articles give young people and women in our communities the confidence they need to make informed decisions about their own lives. Providing accurate information means giving everyone the power to choose their own future.”
The training was implemented in close collaboration with national and international partners. IPAS, for example, developed content which allowed journalists to reflect on personal beliefs and professional responsibilities related to sexual and reproductive health and rights. FISA served as a source of information and support for journalists after training.
Journalists reported that training and mentoring improved their confidence and knowledge. Many who had been unfamiliar with sexual and reproductive health terminology, or the Family Planning Law became advocates in their newsrooms, producing reporting that is both ethical and informative.
“Well-informed journalists can give communities the knowledge and confidence to make safer, healthier decisions,” says CCP’s Tovo Ranaivomino, a senior social and behavior change advisor on the WISH2 team.
WISH2 plans to expand the program geographically, incorporate additional themes such as mental health and positive masculinity, and create a media library for wider dissemination of content.
