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UNICEF launches local Media Award
– aimed at coverage of women’s and children’s issues.
By Crystal Conway
On Wednesday last Dr. Suleiman Braimoh, UNICEF Country Representative to Guyana announced that UNICEF in partnership with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security will be launching a media award here in Guyana for the coverage of women and children’s issues.
Dr. Braimoh spoke of the fact that most children in any given society are still cultivating the art of expressing themselves. Meanwhile, most adults tend to operate and link with children in such a way that children do not know what they are talking about. He posited that the media needed to operate at the point where those two seemingly parallel lines meet.
He went on to say that, “Children do have voices and ideas, indeed many good ideas. The bottom line is how we can translate those ideas from mere ‘children’s ideas’ to mainstream ideas that can help propel society forward?”
Dr. Braimoh answered his question himself, “One way to do that is to ensure that media practitioners and all their partners – UNICEF, Government and other segments of civil society operate in such a way that members of the media are fully conscious of and always seek to move forward with ideas on how to actualize children’s ideas.”
“It is in that context that UNICEF, in partnership with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, are looking into this whole new area of media awards with respect to reporting on children and women’s issues. We do not intend as agencies of Government or as agencies of the United Nations to impose some criteria under which members of the media will work. Rather we intend to facilitate the context in which members of the media will look at their own challenges and be able to focus much more on women’s and children’s issues.”
Dr. Braimoh announced, as what he called, ‘our modest contribution to that effort’, the setting up of a media award that will focus specifically on coverage about children and women in Guyana. He said, “The issue is not just to report about children, the issue is to report in such a way that the children themselves are reflected in what we’re reporting.”
He went on to say, “I will look forward to partnering with the Ministry, the Guyana Press Association and all relevant stakeholders to hammer out the framework and details of this award. I certainly believe that we will be able to handle it in such a way that it achieves its most desired goals. It’s been done before; others have done it, so there’s absolutely no reason why we can’t do it.”
There is precedent for the award that UNICEF is attempting to introduce to Guyana. In 2008 the organization launched the UNICEF Regional Media Awards on Child Rights in the Middle East. The award focuses on journalistic works originating from the MENA (Middle East –North Africa) region on issues in surrounding the rights of children. It celebrates the efforts of media practitioners who take a special interest in children’s issues and relay them to the public.
Every year a new theme is decided upon by the Media Forum – this year’s theme is Child Rights. It was chosen in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The UNICEF Awards for the MENA Region will also include a new photography category this year in addition to the already existing ones of television, radio, print and electronic media.
The selection criteria for the award take into account the relevance and significance of the chosen topic, the quality and originality of the journalistic approach as well as the depth and accuracy of any investigative work involved. Objectivity and impartiality as well as the potential positive impact of the piece are also considerations that will be made by the judges. Solution-oriented pieces are also looked upon favorably in the judging process. The submissions are also judged on the basis of the standard of journalism involved. These include clarity of expression, accuracy, fairness and strict observance of ethical guidelines in reporting on children’s issues as well as respecting the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
These last two are well documented and are quoted as part of the guidelines journalists may use when reporting on women’s and children issues. One cited publication being the ‘Guidelines for Journalists and Media Professionals – Child Rights and the Media: Putting Children in the Right’ which was published by the International Federation of Journalists with support by the European Commission.
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