Political commitment to address issues of children demanded

BHUBANESWAR: “Media and social sectors should build pressure on politicians to ensure inclusion of the issues of children in their agenda,” said eminent journalist Quaid Najmi from Mumbai, while addressing a State-level workshop on ‘Role of Media in Protection and Promotion of Child Rights’ organised by Save the Children here on Sunday.

Giving the example of two slum children who shot to limelight after playing roles in the Hollywood movie ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ and becoming a source of inspiration for others, he added that, role models help in creating awareness. He also said that vernacular media has a major role in creating awareness among people and building pressure for pro-child policies.

Attending the workshop, the journalists including Jatindra Das urged the political parties to include the issues of children in their manifestoes.

Child reporters from Keonjhar, Koraput, Kandhamal, Sonepur and Khurdha placed their view on the children issues from their region and how they could able to address some of their issues with the help of regional medias. A child reporter Surendra Takri of Radio Dhemsa run by South Odisha Volunteer Action (SOVA) said they were trying to make aware about child rights in the rural area of Koraput. “We even take the help of community radio to disseminate the information through local tribal language,” said Takri.

Among others, Save the Children programme manager Sasank Padhi, PECUC secretary Ranjan Kumar Mohanty, Sachitananda Mohanty of SOVA, visiting faculty of ITER Dr Nivedita Das, Prof Fakir Mohan Sahu and members of partner organisations of Save the Children including PECUC, Aaina, CCWD, RARE and SOVA were present.