Stakeholders urged to add value to Children’s broadcasting day

Media Network on Child Rights and Development (MNCRD) Executive Director Henry Kabwe says it is important for organisations looking at children affairs and other stakeholders to ensure that value is added to the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB) activities.

Mr Kabwe noted that children are often paraded to cast news on adult issues whenever it is their day of broadcasting instead of allowing them to add their voice on issues affecting them.

He told ZANIS in an interview today that children should also be involved in serious issues if their voices are to be heard adding that his organisation is pleased that government through the Ministry of Gender and Child Development (MGCD) has partnered with them to this effect.

Mr Kabwe said the institution has been working with government and representatives from media agencies to ensure that children are involved fully in various activities during the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting which falls on 3rd March, 2013.

And Mr Kabwe has further advised that children should not just be used during ICBD but they should be given opportunities to be expressing themselves on various issues at any given time.

He observed that in most cases vulnerability in children comes about if they are not expressing themselves adequately on matters that affect them.

Mr Kabwe added that children also need to be protected at all times which he said can only be enhanced if and when they are allowed to voice out.

Every year, Zambia joins the rest of the world in commemorating the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting which falls on the first Sunday of March.

On this day, broadcasters all over the world dedicate airtime and all programmes to children.