Nigeria Representative, United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, Ms Christian Munduate, has called on media practitioners to be more thorough in reporting issues relating to children.
Munduate made the call recently in Lagos during a symposium organised by UNICEF in collaboration with Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE.
The symposium was part of activities to mark the 2024 World Children’s Day and had as theme, “Reinforcing the Role of Media in Mainstream Child Rights”.
The event had in attendance, stakeholders in the media industry; eminent journalists, broadcasters, senior government officials from the ministry of education, representatives from the private sector, influencers and advocates.
The stakeholders were engaged in three-panel sessions where they addressed critical issues facing children in Nigeria and underscored the media’s role in advocating for child rights.
Munduate said journalists need to give priority to anything related to children through quality investigative reports and going beyond the individual story.
According to the UNICEF representative, the media has the ability to communicate deeply with the people, through which they can inform the society about the true state of children.
“You need to make it a long term vision so that you can contribute towards ensuring that government, religious bodies, traditional leaders, community and families are equipped with the right information.
“These efforts will go a long way in raising awareness, as well as foster a culture of accountability across the society. That is the powerful impact that communication professionals and media outlets can have in driving behavioural change.
“Your words are powerful”, she said, adding that their words have the potential to shift the perspective of diverse actors, whether they are policymakers or everyday citizens, thereby driving real change.
“Together, you have the capacity to reach millions with your message, impacting not just hundreds or thousands, but entire communities”, she added.
She cited the grim data on the state of Nigerian children, saying one in two children live in poverty and 41 newborns out of 1,000 births, do not survive due to complications and teenage pregnancies.
She said 40 percent of children aged five are stunted due to malnutrition which affects their intellectual capacity for life.
Muduate added that 2.1 million children were unvaccinated and one-in-five households practice open defecation among the poorest households.
She explained that while UNICEF provided critical data on children’s welfare, “the real impact comes from the power of communication in engaging communities.
“Translating complex technical data into understandable language and ensuring that information about children’s situation reaches a broader audience.”
Earlier, President of the NGE, Mr Eze Anaba, called for collective commitment from media practitioners, policymakers and health professionals to give utmost attention to child rights.
Anaba identified implementation of child-friendly policies, community-driven solutions and young changemakers as part of measures to drive the course.
“As journalists, editors and media practitioners, we wield a unique power; the power of story telling and our role in the mainstream is very important.
“We must uncover and amplify the voices of the voiceless by highlighting the challenges that children are facing and advocate solutions.
“These narratives can inspire, mobilise and drive change, let us channel this power towards a course that demands our collective attention, the right and well-being of Nigerian children.”
Similarly, the Founder, Chess in Slums Africa, Mr Tunde Onakoya, in a remark, described the Nigerian child’s future as contradictory.
Onakoya, however, noted that the Nigerian child represents hope and potentials, adding that “they face staggering odds just to survive.
“If we are faced with 20 million out-of-school children and with no skills or education, how will they participate in the future economy? Without education, they will become a liability rather than assets”, he added.
Also, the National Programme Coordinator and Technical Lead, PolioPlus Programme, Rotary International, Mr Olugbenga Olayiwola, said polio vaccination is essential.
Olayiwola reiterated that caregivers and parents must present their children for the exercise, adding that“normally, two drops should do it, but when we give multiple drops, it is just to build their immunity faster.
“So, there is no case of overdose on the polio vaccine, but we can make their immunity stronger by repeated multiple routes.
“That is why we keep coming until we are sure that we have vaccinated all the children. The goal is to make sure that no child is left unvaccinated”, he said. NAN
