Govt advises for responsible parenting

Government has urged parents and guardians to play a leading role  in moulding children into responsible citizens.

And the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services says it has put in place a policy that has localised the international issues on the rights of children.

Chief Government spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni says parents and guardians, in general, need to take up a leading role in nurturing the young ones.

ZANIS reports that Mr. Sakeni said this in an interview in Lusaka yesterday.

This was ahead of the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB) celebrations on March 3rd, 2013.

Mr. Sakeni,  who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister the Minister,  said parents must realise that without a well nurtured child, the country may have credible leaders in the next 40 years.

He stressed that it was important for parents and guardians to ensure that children are moulded into useful citizens by ensuring that they have everything needed for their development.

In honour of the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), radio and television broadcasters around the world are expected to invite children on air to share their opinions and access their rights to media and expression. The initiative, organised under International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB) and themed "All Rights, All Children", highlights the rights that all children deserve. ICDB was created in 1991 to encourage broadcasters to allow children to be part of the programming process, to talk about their hopes and dreams and share information with their peers. The rights to participation and expression are an integral part of growing up.   Broadcasters have the chance to empower children by giving them media skills and putting their voices on the air. This shows other children that they, too, can have a voice. It also shows the world what young people’s thoughts are about their lives and communities. Since it began almost 20 years ago, ICDB has been growing from strength to strength. Today, thousands of broadcasters in more than a hundred countries take part in the day, celebrating it in ways that are as unique and special as children themselves are.

 

And the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services says it has put in place a policy that has localised the international issues on the rights of children.

Mr. Sakeni says that through this policy , local children will be expected to freely speak about various issues that teach them,  as  the ICDB is being commemorated.

The minister said it is important that children speak their minds on national issues and other issues that affect them.

“It is very important for children to find time to be out, be it on TV and radio and participate in various programmes.

“A child of today is not like that of yesterday. A child of today wants to be heard. It is important that their voices are heard on radio and TV,” he added.

Mr. Sakeni observed that as a country that is part of the Convention on the rights of children, it is important to bear in mind that children have rights to express themselves and not to be abused.

“Article 12 on the Convention of the Rights of Children (CRC) states that children should given rights to express themselves on issues that affect them,” he noted.