Star reporter Nancy Agutu feted in African Journalists Gender Equality Awards

The Star reporter Nancy Agutu was named the second runners up in the 2021 African Journalists Gender Equality Awards that was held on Wednesday evening at Movenpick Hotel, Nairobi.

The 2021 Gender Equality awards whose main aim is to showcase the work of African journalists in advancing gender equality had seven categories, which attracted a total of 389 applications from Africa.

Agutu was honoured in the Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights category, a win that was contributed through her published story; Tales of trauma, secrecy and hurdles in unending war on FGM.

Giving her remarks following the win, Agutu said that she was impressed as her work can be seen and recognised in Kenya, Africa, and beyond.

“Through my FGM story, it is clear that sometimes people need to be informed on various topics and told what the outcomes might be. May this story bring the anticipated change from various stakeholders. Thank you for believing in me,” Agutu said.

“The award is a reminder that whatever you do, there is always someone watching.”

Through her article that was published in September, Agutu highlighted the challenges that some of the women are facing in the country in the fight against Female Genital Mutilation practice.

These are few paragraphs in the story:

“…she could not fathom the agony Nikita* was undergoing. She had been called names like Egesagane, a derogatory Kisii word for uncut girl…Nikita's demeanour and self-esteem had been trampled on by some of the girls who had undergone female genital mutilation secretly.

In 2019, Agutu scooped the prestigious award at the Africa Media Network on Health Journalism Awards which was held in Rwanda.

She won the award on maternal health in the online category, which attracted 161 entries.

During the ceremony, Kenyan journalist Mashirima Kapombe won the 2021 African Journalists Gender Equality Awards for her Halfway Haven Story in the Violence Against Women & Girls category.