Our 2024 Gender Justice x Health Fellowship kicked off at the beginning of October to develop four fellows’ insightful stories on the implications of pushback against gender equality and women’s and LGBTQI+ rights globally and its profound effects on the health and well-being of all individuals, including men, women, gender-diverse individuals, and children. The fellows will partake in exclusive training sessions, as well as mentorship by experienced journalists including Ankur Paliwal, Editor and Founder of Queerbeat.
Check out the profiles of our four fellows and stay tuned for their stories being published in December!
Graciela Tiburcio Loayza, Perú
Graciela is a feminist journalist with expertise in investigative reporting, coverage of social movements, and in-depth features on gender, sexual and reproductive health, human rights, and social justice. She is the founder of the digital media outlet La Malpensante and the co-founder of the community-based platform Contranoticia.pe. Tiburcio Loayza is the recipient of the III Investigative Journalism Award on HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean. She is also the co-author of the investigative series “Business of Faith,” which exposed the political and economic influence of anti-rights groups behind the ‘Con Mis Hijos No Te Metas’ movement. She served as the former president of Amnesty International Perú.
Lenah Bosibori, Kenya
Lenah is an award-winning journalist celebrated for her impactful storytelling, recognized with the 2023 Annual Journalism Excellence Award (AJEA) by the Media Council of Kenya. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, she brings a decade of multimedia reporting experience covering critical topics such as health, environment, agriculture, gender, human interest, and climate change.
Bosibori’s expertise shines through her contributions to esteemed publications, including Talk Africa, Oxpeckers, InfoNile, Africa Science News, People Daily, KBC Digital, and Kenya Farmer Journal, where she consistently provides in-depth coverage on issues that shape lives across the region. Her work has also appeared in local and international platforms like Smart Farmer Magazine, Xinhua News Agency, and Spore Magazine, reflecting her dedication to impactful journalism. As a fellow with prominent organizations like the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF), Earth Journalism Network (EJN), Internews, Africa Centre for Media Excellence (ACME), and the Thomson Reuters Foundation (TRF), Bosibori demonstrates an unwavering commitment to journalistic excellence and the power of storytelling to drive change.
Jazmín Bazán, Argentina
Jazmín is a magna cum laude history graduate from the University of Buenos Aires and has a Master’s degree in Journalism from the University of San Andrés, with specializations in Education, Public Policies, Gender, and Political Literature. She has worked as a national television scriptwriter and columnist. She has collaborated with local and international newspapers, focusing on gender, mental health, human rights, indigenous rights, and environmental issues. She is a member of Red LATAM, a Latin American journalist network. Before venturing into freelance work, Jazmín spent four years at Clarín, Argentina’s leading newspaper. She has received fellowships from Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Earth Journalism Network, and The Carter Center, as well as support from the Pulitzer Center. Additionally, she has been involved with GRID-Arendal, Internews, and the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF). Jazmín has earned multiple awards from organizations such as the World Editors Forum, Revista Imagen, ADEPA, and the Argentine Society of Medical Journalism. She has participated in programs sponsored by the U.S. Embassy and was recognized as an emerging leader by Fulbright and Voces Vitales Sudamérica.
Mercy Nqandeka, South Africa
Mercy, from Mqele in Elliotdale, Eastern Cape, South Africa holds a double master’s degree in agriculture Climate Change Transition from the University of Galway, Ireland and SupAgro Montpellier, France. She completed her bachelor’s and honors in Agronomy at the University of Fort Hare, South Africa, where she is now the Interim Executive Officer Manager for the Vice Chancellor’s Office. She is currently pursuing a PhD in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences with her research focusing on Indigenous Knowledge Systems at Stellenbosch University. Nqandeka is also an accomplished author of three books: The Dissonant Rainbow (2019), To My Young Self (2020), and Don’t Upset ooMalume (2022). Additionally, she founded Homba Crafts, a company specialising in Xhosa bead-making and crafts.