The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Kano Field Office in northern Nigeria has urged the media to promote awareness on children’s welfare.
The Communication Specialist for UNICEF Kano Field Office, Mr Samuel Kaalu, made the call during a Capacity Building Workshop for Media, organized for journalists in Kano and from neighbouring states, Katsina and Jigawa.
The two-day workshop was organized by the UNICEF Kano Field Office, in collaboration with Kano state-owned Abubakar Rimi Television (ARTV).
The Director-General of ARTV, Sa’a Ibrahim, represented by the Director of Production, Mr Yusha’u Hamza, stated that the organisation has been in partnership with UNICEF towards journalist development, education, and children-mother programmes.
While presenting a paper during the workshop, Mr Kaalu tasked journalists to rekindle the passion of the profession through the publication and broadcasting of human-angle stories designed to encourage the government and other stakeholders on the need to take the welfare of children very seriously.
He narrated the best ways of using certain theories of journalism such as Agenda Setting, Social Responsibility, Uses and Gratification to create stories that can have an impact on the welfare and development of the children in the nation.
Mr Kaalu who identified the objectives of the workshop also explained why UNICEF focused on children, as well as given cogent reasons UNICEF partners with the media to project the welfare of children.
In another presentation by a Senior Editor, Media Consultant, Onche Odey, spoke on the journalism ethics and key elements professional journalists adopt while writing news stories.
Child Rights Act
During the workshop presentation, UNICEF urged the Kano state government to sign the Child Protection Act into law to further strengthen child rights and protection, before the year ends.
This was stated by Child Protection Manager for UNICEF, Kano Field Office, Mrs Emelia Allan, during a presentation for Media practitioners, noted with dismay that out of 36 states in Nigeria, only four have not been able to sign the Child Right Act.
Mrs Allan encouraged the North West states left behind, Kano, Bauchi, Adamawa and Gombe states to accept the goals by signing the Child Right Act so as to ensure the welfare and protection of the child.
According to her, Kano is registering the birth of only 54.6 per cent of under-five children.
“With the coming of the goals I thought Kano was going among the first to sign act in law but unfortunately not so”, she said showing regret
“Kano needs to do more, because when Kano sneezes, Nigeria catches cold. Kano should wake up in this direction. More children need to be registered. We know the authorities are doing their best, but we need to do more.”
She spoke strongly against child marriage and female genital mutilation
Ms Allan condemned child labour, exploitation and violence committed against children, calling on all stakeholders to stand up against such inhuman treatment against the child, including child trafficking.
According to her Civil Registration and Vital Statistics of the child, decrying why vital data collection such as birth registration and death registration are not being done in most parts of the African continent.
She explained that keeping such records, including marriage registration, would go a long way in ensuring accuracy in Nigeria’s population census, as well as reduce child exploitation.
PIAK
