Vision's Mwesigwa honoured for anti-FGM fight

By Arthur Oyako

Each year, Women Deliver celebrates International Women’s Day by honouring people, organisations and innovations that are delivering for girls and women. 

This year New Vision’s Catherine Mwesigwa is one of the honourees. She joins 14 other journalists from around the world being celebrated for various contributions towards the betterment of girls and women through the media. 

“Our honourees were selected by an internal review board from a competitive pool of more than 100 journalists who were nominated by dozens of Women Deliver’s partners and supporters,” the Women Deliver's website stated. 

Mwesigwa, who is the deputy editor of the New Vision, has paved the way for women leadership in the newsroom, community and beyond. She is also regarded a role model for young female writers who aspire to be leaders in a field traditionally dominated by men. 

“Her coverage pushes the public and policymakers to prioritise girls’ and women’s needs,” the website stated. 

Adding that Mwesigwa: “…contributed a piece to her media house’s campaign against FGM, which supported community mobilisation and sensitisation efforts to end the practice…”

Mwesigwa’s contribution influenced Uganda’s legislators to pass a law that banned genital mutilation, a practice that had gone on unabated for several decades. 

According to the Women Deliver website, Mwesigwa has also not been afraid to rely on her own experiences as a mother to write powerful and persuasive articles that call for greater access to reproductive and maternal health services. 

“Starting today, we will open an online voting contest to select the top three journalists from our remarkable list. The three winners will receive scholarships to attend Women Deliver's 2016 conference, which will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark,” the website added. 

Voting will close on Monday, March 20, so be sure to vote today for the journalist who inspires you the most.