Development Communications

Development Communications Network (DevComs) is a Nigerian nonprofit devoted to media development, capacity building, and strategic communications for health policy and social development. Previous Foundation support to DevComs aimed to improve government accountability for maternal health in three states (Jigawa, Lagos, and Kaduna) and Abuja by training media professionals. As a result, a community of practice of journalists knowledgeable about maternal health was created, and the quality and quantity of maternal health stories increased. This final award enables DevComs to continue to strengthen the investigative capacity of journalists and to draw attention to key maternal health challenges in the country. DevComs is training and mentoring journalists, supporting extended investigative field work, and disseminating reports using new and traditional media. This award is part of the maternal health accountability portfolio in Nigeria and is expected to generate evidence of how accountability mechanisms can contribute to improving maternal health outcomes and reducing the maternal mortality burden.

The purpose of this grant is to reduce maternal mortality through increasing public attention, scrutiny and interest on maternal mortality in the media. The major components of the grant are to: 1) increase coverage and quality of maternal mortality reporting by journalists, 2) improving knowledge and action of government officials, 3) fostering collaboration with other civil society organizations working on maternal mortality, 4) increasing public discourse and demand for quality maternal health services.