The Mass Media: Veritable Tool in the Protection of Human Rights

The paper emphasizes the importance of mass media as veritable tool in creating increase conscious awareness, education and knowledge in the area of protection of human rights. It also advocates a more precise, organized, and purposeful and coordinated mass media approach to create Human Rights consciousness in the minds of populace for national Development and sustainability. Furthermore, the study proposes a guide-dog approach of journalism to Human Rights issues, problems and challenges, as well as the Development Media Theory and Agenda- Setting Theory of Mass Communication to the devastating effects of the violation and the discouragement of Human Rights in Nigeria. The paper concludes that despite the fact that the mass media play important roles in the protection of human rights is well-know to all and sundry, notwithstanding, the mass media in their diversities should work hard towards the attainment of protection of human rights which is the threshold of peace.Keywords: Mass media, Awareness, Protection, Human rights, Peace

Nollywood Movies and Nigerian Youths - An Evaluation

This paper is an advocacys on the impacts of Nollywood movies as the two-edge sword for the national development. It contends that its establishment has helped greatly in developing talents, and serves as a medium of entertainment and communication. It also highlights various critics that praised the ability of Nollywood industry in the past, and expresses concern on the reverse focus on the negative themes and its negative impact on youth behaviour and the image of Nigeria. The qualitative and quantitative data analysis based on the empirical secondary and primary data were employed. The data collected on both were presented in tabular form and analyzed using simple percentages. Purposive random sampling technique and questionnaire as an instrument were used during the class-meeting.Keywords: Nollywood, behavior, youths, movie

Knowledge of Zika virus disease among reproductive-age women attending a general outpatient clinic in Northern Nigeria

Background: Nigeria is not insulated from the global threat of Zika virus disease (ZVD) because of international travel and the presence of Zika-virus-carrying mosquitoes in the country. A paucity of studies exists concerning knowledge of ZVD among atrisk populations. Thus, the necessity for assessment of knowledge of ZVD among reproductive-age women in general outpatient setting. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 377 reproductive-age women attending a Nigerian tertiary hospital’s general outpatient clinic. Their knowledge of ZVD was assessed using a structured questionnaire. A chi-square test was used to assess the relationship between participants’ sociodemographics and ZVD knowledge. Results: The participants’ median age was 27.0 ± 7.19 years. Though 68.97% of participants were aware of ZVD, only 23.85% of those had good knowledge of ZVD. Their median knowledge score was 57.14%. Participants’ age (< 27 years) (p = 0.00399), tribe (Hausa) (p = 0.0174) and monogamous family type (p = 0.0108) were associated with good knowledge of ZVD. Only 5% knew that ZVD is transmitted through both mosquito bites and a sexual route. Some 80% were unaware that everybody was at risk of ZVD but 80.77% knew it could cause microcephaly. Insecticide-treated nets (80.77%), environmental sanitation (78.08%) and indoor insecticide spraying (58.85%) were preventive measures reported by most participants; a minority reported mosquito repellents (28.46%), wearing of protective clothing (36.15%), and traditional medicines (20.00%) as preventive measures. They lacked knowledge of prevention of sexual transmission. Conclusion: Participants’ knowledge of ZVD was inadequate despite the high awareness rate. Stakeholders may need to address existing knowledge gaps through effective public enlightenment. (Full text of the research articles are available online at www.medpharm.tandfonline.com/ojfp) S Afr Fam Pract 2017; DOI: 10.1080/20786190.2017.131348