The Editor and Publisher of Nigeria Health Times, Chinyere Okoroafor, has been named one of the winners in the Special Recognition Category of the SHE & Rights Media Awards 2025.
The award, themed “Sexual Health with Equity (SHE) & Rights,” celebrates journalists who use their work to promote conversations around sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Okoroafor was honoured for her impactful reports on gender equality and human rights. One of her stories, https://nigeriahealthtimes.com/experts-warn-of-setbacks-to-gender-equality-human-rights-sdg-progress/, highlights how growing anti-rights and anti-gender movements around the world are reversing decades of progress in gender equality, human rights, and health, posing a serious threat to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
The 2025 edition of the award received 369 entries from 32 countries, including 130 submissions from 17 African nations, showing rising media interest in sexual and reproductive health issues on the continent.
Entries were submitted in six languages — English, French, Bahasa, Hindi, Nepali, and Bangla — to ensure inclusiveness. A 28-member international jury reviewed all entries before announcing the winners.
The award ceremony took place on November 6, 2025, in Bogotá, Colombia, during the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) 2025, a global gathering of policymakers, advocates, and media professionals working to advance family planning and reproductive health.
Okoroafor, who has reported widely on gender, health, and social issues affecting women, children, and persons with disabilities, said the recognition would inspire her to continue telling impactful stories that give voice to the vulnerable.