In the digital age, young people turn to online spaces to find reliable information and plurality of narratives, to participate in political discussions. It is important for us to shed light on the significant digital challenges and opportunities of the African context and to make sure that these are given their due importance in global discussions about digitalisation.

Another year has passed with its challenges and wonders. As we rapidly transition to the world as we knew it before the pandemic, let us take a moment with you to look at the past year at RNW Media, with gratitude and pride in our 2021 Annual Report.

While the number of digital health interventions providing access to information on family planning in low- and middle-income countries is growing, little is known about the quality of these services. FHI 360 decided to bring clarity, by assessing the comprehensiveness and accuracy of eleven tools and selected Love Matters as one of the top interventions.

The Manasati30 team consists of changemakers coming from all regions of the country. Both online activities and offline events ensure that young people’s voices are heard by mainstream media and other influential actors and their agendas are gradually being represented in policy and social changes.

With a rise in gender-based violence and diversion of resources from SRH services around the world as a result of the pandemic, Global Affairs Canada responded by providing funding to MSI Reproductive Choices, International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and RNW Media to fortify women’s access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.

We recently held the exciting 3-day online interactive event: ‘Brave Digital Spaces! The Online Sexuality Education Exchange’, together with the Love Matters Global Network as part of the RHRN2 programme. The event focused on building digital communities to address sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

We recently conducted research into the long-term impact of RNTC trainings on participants media careers. A survey was shared among participants focusing on trainings held between 2000 and 2015 to explore the long-term impacts of these trainings on participants careers by 2020.

2020 was a year of many unexpected challenges for the global community. At RNW Media, we adapted to a new way of working, changed our activities to respond directly to the COVID-19 crisis and tapped into our digital media expertise and creative staff to do it. We are proud to present our Annual Report 2020, highlighting our key achievements and progress from the year.

Social media has immense power to reach out to and engage with young people. As an international NGO based in the Netherlands, we believe it is important for Dutch youth to learn about the challenges facing young people in restrictive settings.

Today is World Press Freedom Day. At RNW Media, we are calling on decision-makers, citizens and young people to stand in solidarity with young media-makers across the world and defend press freedom.