Partnership with mediaPress conferences and press releases have been instrumental in increasing media coverage of children's issues and creating greater visibility for UNICEF-supported events and projects. Print media monitoring conducted by members of the child reference group indicate that children and youth issues cover less than 10 per cent of print media coverage in Tajikistan. From August to December 2004, a total of 1,500 articles out of the 16,000 surveyed were on children and youth issues or on UNICEF-supported events and projects (59 articles). The UNICEF Online Advocacy Magazine and global website have been used to communicate information on children's issues in Tajikistan to the rest of the world, particularly to donors. Project proposals and emergency appeals for assistance during floods and other natural disasters have likewise been posted on the Online Advocacy Magazine. The posting of the travel journal by the Head of the Office in the Online Advocacy Magazine was welcomed by the National Committees of Germany and Italy. The travel journal highlighted efforts being made at promoting the use of iodized salt by people in remote rural areas in the country, as well as the importance of the measles immunization campaign. The global website was used to keep the world informed on the measles campaign through press releases, a video report and a radio interview. Journalists were informed about the measles immunization campaign and nutrition initiatives through a collaborative effort with the Ministry of Health. Subsequently, the media acted very responsibly in reporting on measles and the immunization campaign. The mass media has become a reliable partner in the dissemination of information and in raising public awareness on issues that affect the children of Tajikistan. In order to enhance their capacity to deliver child-friendly reporting, UNICEF has supported training among local journalists from television, radio and newspapers on the theme of the media and child rights. Training sessions have been carried out in partnership with Internews, an international non-governmental organization that supports the development of independent media in the country. The partnership with Internews has also led to free broadcasts of UNICEF programme messages on Asia Plus Radio, a leading media outlet in the country. The messages have focused on child survival, development, protection and HIV/AIDS. Similarly, the state television network has provided free air time to broadcast UNICEF messages to promote the right of children to survival, development, protection and participation. UNICEF provided advocacy for World Breastfeeding Week through support for the distribution of educational materials produced by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action. Public awareness on the rights of children to be protected from abuse, neglect and exploitation increased by 20 per cent in Dushanbe through the creation of an "information zone" that included frequent radio spots and articles about domestic violence cases in local newspapers. A one-hour, live television broadcast was dedicated to the findings of the Intersectoral Government Expert Group and government initiatives to prevent violence against children.
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