Snapshot - Multi-Media and Blog Training on SRHR and Gender Equality

Sri Lanka Development Journalist Forum (SDJF), in partnership with Helvetas Intercooperation gGmbH, conducted a two-day practical training workshop on “Multimedia Article and Blog Writing” for students of the Department of Media Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Jaffna, held on 22nd and 23rd at Hotel Green Grass, Jaffna. The programme engaged 45 students (10 male, 38 female) with a strong focus on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), gender equality, and addressing gender-based violence affecting women and girls.

The programme was inaugurated with the participation of academic representatives and programme coordinators. Discussions at the opening highlighted the importance of strengthening understanding of SRHR issues, particularly menstrual health, reproductive health access, bodily autonomy, sexual harassment, and intimate partner violence, which continue to affect women and girls across communities.

The training was designed to build practical skills in developing multimedia content and blog-based storytelling that highlights SRHR challenges at community level. On the first day, participants worked in groups to identify key issues such as lack of menstrual hygiene facilities, stigma around menstruation, limited access to reproductive health services, gender-based violence, and challenges faced by women and girls in accessing support systems. The sessions guided participants to develop structured story ideas rooted in lived realities and gender equality perspectives.

On the second day, groups refined their story pitches and received one-to-one mentoring to develop blog posts and multimedia articles. Special focus was given to ethical and sensitive coverage of issues such as sexual harassment in public and educational spaces, intimate partner violence, and barriers to accessing SRHR services and information. International resource persons from Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), India, shared insights on documenting gender inequality and health-related vulnerabilities through creative writing approaches.

The programme was led by a media trainer and consultant, who supported participants in translating SRHR and gender-based experiences into structured digital narratives. By the end of the workshop, all five groups produced and published blog posts focusing on gender inequality, menstrual health challenges, reproductive health access, and violence affecting women and girls.

Participants reflected increased understanding of SRHR issues and the importance of addressing them through informed content creation. One participant, a third-year student from the Department of Media Studies, stated:

“Through this training, I understood the importance of addressing menstrual health challenges, reproductive health access, and gender-based violence such as sexual harassment and intimate partner violence. I feel more confident in identifying these issues in my community and presenting them in a way that highlights the realities faced by women and girls.”

Following the training, participants were encouraged to further develop their SRHR-focused multimedia stories for inter-university engagement activities, with continued mentorship from SDJF. The initiative aimed to strengthen youth engagement in advancing gender equality and improving awareness and understanding of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights through focused and issue-based storytelling.