**"Empowering Journalists to Tell the Right Story on Sexual and Reproductive Health"** In a bid to ensure that Nigerian journalists are equipped with the right tools to report on sensitive topics such as sexual and reproductive health, the Initiative to Resist Institutional Slavery and Exploitation (IRISE) recently held a capacity-building workshop at Perfecto La Villa Hotel in Lagos. The two-day training session, themed "From Data to Impact," brought together top-notch reporters, editors, and publishers from leading media organisations across the country. The event aimed to encourage media professionals to critically assess how sensitive issues like abortion and sexual violence are framed in the media. As IRISE Executive Director, Omodele Ibitoye Ejeh, pointed out, the media plays a crucial role in shaping societal understanding of these issues. "We want to bring media partners together to reflect on how sexual and reproductive health and rights are being reported and the kind of picture being painted, particularly around abortion rights and human autonomy," she said. One of the key takeaways from the workshop was the importance of accuracy in reporting. Ejeh used the example of the Safe Termination of Pregnancy guidelines introduced by the Lagos State Government in 2022. The guidelines, which aimed to prevent deaths resulting from unsafe procedures, were widely misunderstood and subsequently suspended. Ejeh clarified that the document was not legislation promoting abortion but a framework to support healthcare providers in preventing deaths. The workshop also highlighted the need for media professionals to confront stigma and victim-blaming in cases of sexual violence. Coordinator of the African Women Lawyers Association of Nigeria, Adesola Bello, underscored the importance of ethical reporting in cases involving survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. She advised journalists to avoid judgmental language and ensure that coverage does not retraumatise survivors. The training session is part of IRISE's efforts to advocate for the reinstatement of the Safe Termination of Pregnancy guidelines and to promote awareness about the importance of sexual and reproductive health and rights. As Ejeh noted, "Our call to action is for the guideline to be reinstated. Lagos is a pace-setter, and when Lagos leads, others will follow." The workshop has significant implications for Nigerian media and society as a whole. By empowering journalists with the skills and knowledge to report on sensitive topics accurately and sensitively, IRISE is helping to promote a more informed and empathetic public discourse on issues of sexual and reproductive health and rights.