Ugandan investigative journalist Okello Jesus Ojara and tndNews, Uganda’s head of Acholi bureau has emerged as the Africa 1st Prize Winner at the prestigious SHE & Rights Media Awards 2026.
He has earned continental recognition for his powerful reporting on gender justice, health rights, and the struggles faced by vulnerable communities.
The awards, held during the global Women Deliver Conference 2026, celebrated journalists whose work has amplified underreported stories on violence, reproductive health, ageing, discrimination, and human rights across Africa and the Asia-Pacific region.
This year’s competition attracted 351 applications from 29 countries, reflecting the growing global movement demanding accountability and justice for women, girls, and marginalized populations.
Organisers described the awards as a platform for journalists who are not only telling stories, but also influencing policy debates and challenging harmful systems that silence survivors and vulnerable communities.
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For Ojara, the recognition marks a major milestone in a journalism career dedicated to exposing systemic injustices often ignored by mainstream coverage.
His reporting has consistently focused on issues affecting women and children in underserved communities, including sexual violence, teenage pregnancies, maternal health neglect, and failures within justice and education systems.
The African regional category saw Ugandan journalists dominate the top positions with Nelson Mandela securing the second prize, while Ambroisine Memede Azododassi from Togo took third place.
Special mentions were also awarded to journalists from Uganda, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Zambia, and Senegal for outstanding contributions to rights-based reporting.
In the Asia-Pacific category, Firda Amalia Putri won the top prize, followed by Engly Tuy and Kalpana Acharya.
Beyond the awards ceremony, the SHE & Rights initiative hosted 15 thematic sessions during the conference, bringing together activists, journalists, policymakers, and civil society organizations to address urgent global issues affecting women and marginalized groups.
The discussions focused on gender-based violence, abortion rights, female genital mutilation, menstrual hygiene as a fundamental right, transgender rights, older persons’ rights, sustainable development, and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process.
The initiative drew support from several international organizations, including International Planned Parenthood Federation, ARROW, Fòs Feminista, and Outright International.
Speaking during the conference, women’s rights advocate Shobha Shukla delivered a passionate call for dignity and equality for older persons.
“We, the elderly, are not asking for mercy and we are asking for our long overdue rights and ageism and gender inequality must end with us,” Shobha said.
Her remarks resonated strongly with delegates as activists and health rights defenders prepared for the upcoming World Health Assembly 79 in Geneva, where global health equity, gender justice, and human rights are expected to dominate discussions.
For Uganda, Ojara’s victory represents more than individual achievement and it signals the growing influence of African journalists in shaping global conversations on justice, gender equality, and human dignity through courageous and impactful storytelling.
Colleagues and media advocates hailed the award as a testament to the critical role investigative journalism continues to play in exposing abuse, amplifying survivors’ voices, and pushing institutions toward accountability.
As the applause faded at the Women Deliver Conference, one message remained clear: stories rooted in truth, compassion, and justice still have the power to transform societies and journalists like Okello Jesus Ojara are helping lead that transformation across Africa and beyond.
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