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Media: friend not foe says UNICEF’s representative


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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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