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Contact:
Lucius Doxerie
Friday, 26 September 2008
– Speaking at a recently concluded two day workshop held at United
Nation’s House in Barbados, UNICEF’s representative for Barbados and the OECS,
Tom Olsen, called on governments within the region to seek greater
collaboration with the media in informing and educating the region’s people on
all aspects of development.
The forum was a gathering of the region’s senior reporters from Jamaica and Cuba
in the north to Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago in the South. The focus of the
workshop was part of a comprehensive strategy by the United Nations Children’s
Fund to ensure that children are not forgotten before, during and after
emergencies.
It was pointed out that children are the most vulnerable and most affected
during times of natural and man made disasters. At such times, when the normal
structures of society are negatively affected, children are exposed to many
difficulties, including sexual and emotional abuse and physical violence.
“It is appropriate especially in these circumstances” the UNICEF’s
representative said, “that the media not forget the plight of children.
Sometimes, we are afraid of the media, because we are afraid of being exposed,
but we need to work with the media much closer than we have done in the past”
Tom Olsen remarked.
The media, participants were told, are critical partners for creating a
Caribbean fit for children now and in the future. It is the media, not any other
entity, that can help governments prepare the population to respond to any kind
of emergency.
Against that reality, UNICEF in conjunction with the CBU wants to ensure that
broadcst journalists are aware of what emergency preparedness and mitigation
entails, so that they can report on these issues in an effective manner in the
context of the impact on children.
Journalists were also equipped with reporting skills that allow them to make a
link between public policy and man made or natural disasters.
Currently UNICEF is also undertaking a consultancy to determine areas that must
be given attention in the next 10 years to find out how environmental issues
affect the health, and overall well being of the region’s children.
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