"The Covid-19 crisis is a child rights crisis": a media contest open to professional journalists working in Niger
The High Council of Communication (CSC) and UNICEF launched today the third edition of the annual media awards for outstanding reporting on children's rights issues
NIAMEY (Niger), June 9, 2020 - The high Council of Communication (CSC), with the support of UNICEF, launched today the third edition of its annual media awards, entitled this year: "The Covid-19 crisis is a child rights crisis."
The competition aims to support advocacy efforts for children's rights in the context of the current Covid-19 crisis and to increase the visibility in the media of initiatives taken individually or collectively to end this pandemic.
“Across Niger, authorities, partners, civil society organizations, communities are rising to the challenge – from health and social workers risking their lives to protect the most vulnerable, to young people deploying innovative ways to share public health messages. The mass media can and often do play a significant role in the battle against Covid-19" says Dr. Sani Kabir, President of the Council of Communication.
Through this competition, the CSC and UNICEF aim to encourage the media to support advocacy efforts to keep children healthy and well nourished; reach vulnerable children with water, sanitation and hygiene; keep children learning; support families to cover their needs and care for their children; protect children from violence, exploitation and abuse; and protect refugee and migrant children, and those affected by conflict.
"Even as the spread of the virus slows, its social toll will come fast and hard. In many places, it will come at the expense of the most marginalized children. The costs of the pandemic for children are immediate and, if unaddressed, may persist throughout their lives," said Dr. Félicité Tchibindat, UNICEF Representative in Niger.
“But they are also things we can fix. By working together, we can ensure COVID-19 does not threaten social and economic development for a long time to come and help make families and communities more resilient.”
Open to all professional journalists from television, radio, print and online press, entries should be produced between March 19, 2020, date of declaration of the first case of Covid-19 in Niger and October 15, 2020. Participants are encouraged to join government institutions, partners, civil society organizations and other entities in the realization of their products.
The selection criteria will be based on the quality and the frequency of the pieces produced by participants. The official announcement of the winners and the award ceremony are scheduled for November 20, 2020, on the celebration of World Children's Day.
More information on the media awards, click here
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For more information about UNICEF and its work for children, visit www.unicef.org.