The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Tuesday commenced a three-day training for journalists and media practitioners in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State’s Aweil Town to promote children’s rights through editorial policies, daily news broadcasts, and monitoring.
Sexual violence against children, recruitment and their involvement in armed conflict, attacks against schools and hospitals, abduction of children, and children development programs were part of the seminar’s topics.
UNMISS’ head of field office in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, Atakalti Hailu, addressed more than 25 journalists and media practitioners who are attending the “Seminar on Child Protection” in Aweil Town and tasked them to increase awareness and civic education about children’s rights through their various media channels.
“You the journalists and other media personnel have an important role to play in reporting, protecting, and promoting the rights of the children,” he said. “You are the voice of the voiceless, you have a duty to educate, and inform the parties to the conflict and general communities on the negative impact of grave violations against the children.”
The Northern Bahr el Ghazal State government spokesman and Minister of Information and Communication, Garang Zacharia Lual, joined the UN officials in the fight against child abuse and human rights violations.
“Since you know media is a catalyst of anything to be disseminated and if information is not given accurately, then someone may commit crimes without knowing,” he stated. “I call upon all the journalists working in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State to prioritize and give accurate information on child protection because some of the parents are not aware of the children’s rights to education and protection as well.”
For her part, Aweil TV camerawoman Awol Deng Akeen said she understood all the concepts around children and their rights.
“I have understood the meaning of a child in this workshop and she or he is someone from 17 years and 11 months of age and below and the children must not be exploited or harmed in any way,” she said.
Another participant, Abraham Chol Deng who works as a presenter at the Akol Yam FM 91, said that child protection is a collective responsibility and urged his workmates to report all crimes against children.
“Child protection is our collective responsibility be it media houses, government or organizations and as journalists, we can protect the children by reporting if there is any crime against the children,” he said.
The seminar is funded by the UNMISS Child Protection Unit in collaboration with the State Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, and other partners.