Media awards for reporting on trafficking, HIV in India

Chennai, Sep 20 (UNI) The HIV and Human Development Resource Network (HDRN), a Delhi-based NGO, today announced media awards for outstanding reporting done on trafficking and HIV in India.

The awards, carrying a cash prize of Rs 25,000 and a certificate, are supported by the UNDP-TAHA Project (prevention of trafficking and HIV/AIDS in Women and Girls), covering 11 states of India.

In total, there would be eight awards -- four each for the electronic and print media.

The report should have been published in the national or regional media during January to September 2006. There is no age restriction, but media personnel should have at least five years experience.

The applications are open from September 15 to October 31, 2006.

The HDRN also launched a media handbook, which would be a ready tool to facilitate more sagacious writing and reportage about human trafficking.

Launching the handbook at a workshop here, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary V K Subburaj said the initiative had dual objectives -- to sensitise the media on better reporting about trafficking and HIV/AIDS and to urge them to take a pro-active approach and become partners in countering the twin problems.

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