Session on Gender Perspective in Reporting on Non-Communicable Diseases

On 16 May 2026, a one-day session with Prof. Suzanne Suggs was held as part of the initiative “Beyond Headlines: Journalism, Non-Communicable Diseases and the Stories that Matter”, a partnership between the Association of Journalists of Kosovo and the Integrated Health Services Project (IHS Project). Prof. Suggs is an expert in health communication and social marketing, with a focus on behaviour change, public communication and reporting on health issues.

The training focused on the gender perspective in reporting on non-communicable diseases, addressing the importance of including a gender perspective in health stories, the ways in which women and men are affected differently by chronic diseases, as well as the biases that are often conveyed in reporting through language, sources or editorial approaches. The discussions emphasized the importance of sensitive and balanced reporting that takes into account the social, economic and institutional barriers affecting access to healthcare and treatment.

The training was attended by eight journalist fellows of this activity, who are currently reporting on various topics related to non-communicable diseases in cooperation with different health experts in Kosovo. Through practical discussions and editorial exercises, the participants explored how a gender perspective can be integrated into reporting in order to produce stories that are more accurate, more inclusive and closer to patients’ real-life experiences.