Media Network on Child Rights and Development (MNCRD) Chairperson Felistas Chipako commends Zambian media ‘open door policy’ during International Children Broadcasting themed: ‘Children: Hear their voices, Protect them!”

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PRESS STATEMENT ON THE COMMEMORATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S DAY OF BROADCASTING

MEDIA NETWORK ON CHILD RIGHTS AND DEVELOPMENT (MNCRD) WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK ALL THE MEDIA HOUSES IN ZAMBIA THAT HOSTED CHILDREN YESTERDAY TO COMMEMORATE THE INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S DAY OF BROADCASTING UNDER THE THEME, ‘CHILDREN: HEAR THEIR VOICES, PROTECT THEM’
THE INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S DAY OF BROADCASTING (ICDB) IS A GLOBAL COMMEMORATION WHICH IT GIVES CHILDREN AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RUNNING OF BROADCASTING MEDIA CHANNELS.
WE WERE ELATED THAT THE MEDIA HOUSES INVOLVED CHILDREN IN IMPORTANT, FLAGSHIP PROGRAMMES WHICH ARE PRIORITISED BY THEIR LISTENERS. A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS WORKED HARD TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN, REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND, CONDUCTED PROGRAMMES AND READ THE NEWS.

WE CALL UPON OTHER MEDIA HOUSES, WHICH DID NOT PARTICIPATE TO UPHOLD CHILDREN’S RIGHTS BY GIVING THEM A PLATFORM FOR INVOLVEMENT IN NATIONAL ISSUES.

Felistas Chipako with Dr Kenneth David Buchizya Kaunda

PROGRAMMING THAT INVOLVES CHILDREN MAKES GOOD BUSINESS SENSE AS CHILDREN ARE ALSO CONSUMERS OF PRODUCTS THAT ARE MAINLY ADVERTISED THROUGH MEDIA.

IT IS ALSO A GOOD CASE OF SUSTAINABILITY AS CHILDREN WILL GROW INTO MEDIA FRIENDLY INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL CONTINUE ACCESSING THE MEDIA.

REPORTING ON CHILDREN AS VICTIMS PERPETUATES AND ENHANCES THEIR SENSE OF VULNERABILITY. THE MEDIA SHOULD FIND TIME TO COVER GOOD STORIES ON CHILDREN AND ENSURE THAT STRUCTURES SUCH AS JUNIOR MAYORS AND THE JUNIOR ENGINEERS, TECHNICIANS AND SCIENTISTS (JETS) CLUBS ARE GIVEN PROMINENCE FOR OTHER CHILDREN TO BE MOTIVATED. THIS WILL ALSO ENHANCE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES, ENTREPRENEUR ACUMEN AND INVESTMENT DESIRE AMONG THE ZAMBIAN CHILDREN.

MNCRD CALLS UPON ALL GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES, POLICYMAKERS AND IMPLEMENTERS, ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, TRADITIONAL LEADERS, PARENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OTHER RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS TO CREATE ROOM FOR CHILDREN TO PARTICIPATE AND UPHOLDING THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD. THEY SHOULD ALSO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO CHILDREN BY ENGAGING WITH THOSE TASKED TO INTERACT WITH THEM THROUGH THE MEDIA.

WE ALSO BEMOAN OUR GALLANT SUPPORTER, MR. ERROL HICKEY, WHO PASSED AWAY JUST BEFORE THE COMMEMORATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S DAY OF BROADCASTING. MR. HOCKEY SUPPORTED MEMBERS OF THE CHILDREN’S NEWS AGENCY (CNA) UNDER M.N.C.R.D THROUGH RADIO PHOENIX. MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE.

MNCRD IS A NON-GOVERNMENTAL MEDIA ASSOCIATION DEDICATED TO CONTRIBUTING TO THE FULL REALIZATION OF CHILD RIGHTS FOR ALL BY EQUIPPING THE MEDIA AND CHILDREN TO COVER CHILD RIGHTS AND development issues in society so as to achieve policy change and implementationI

Felistas Chipako

Chairperson

Maxwell Simbuwa with Beatrice Kakoma at New Age NewAge Newspaper Zimco House 1st November 2014 pix by Derrick Sinjela