Citizen TV's Serfine Achieng wins human rights journalism award

Citizen TV’s Serfine Achieng was among the journalists feted during the 2022 Human Rights Journalism Awards which recognizes excellence in journalists reporting on human rights and gender stories.

Serfine’s story ‘Tattered Dreams’ which highlights the plight of street children and the need for a focus on strategies to support them to live a quality life was ranked the best in the television category.

Other winners were Moraa Obiria of Daily Nation and Rosebella Tawa of Radio Rahma.

During the event, which was held on the eve of the completion of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence and Human Rights Day commemorated globally on December 10, journalists were encouraged to focus on telling stories that focus on the promotion of human rights.

Churchill Otieno, the Kenya Editors’ Guild(KEG) President, said; “I don’t know who started the organization Journalists for Human Rights, but that phrase speaks to the true reason and the true purpose that journalism must remain resilient, and I believe each and every one of us has a duty to ensure that the story never dies.”

Serfine, on her part, stated: “This is just to me to go out there and do more, to tell more stories about the voiceless in the society and to open this space for their plight to be heard and for them to get help. I am so humbled by this recognition by JHR, but again it’s all because of the respective media houses that we work for that have given us the platform to tell this stories.”

Serfine, a news anchor and reporter, has 10 years' experience in journalism. She has previously worked with the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) as well as the Sayare Radio and Television Network.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Media Science and is a professional alumni of Journalists for Human Rights, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, Association of Media Women in Kenya and the Media Council of Kenya.