#PressStatement International Children’s Day of Broadcasting: Every Child Counts!

Lusaka, 01 March 2019: To commemorate International Children’s Day of Broadcasting, Panos Institute Southern Africa is appealing to stakeholders from different races, religions, political affiliations, and much more the media and policy makers to listen to and provide platforms that amplify the message that Every Child Counts and that every child is of estimable value.

The International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB) is commemorated every year on the first Sunday of March, to encourage broadcasters worldwide to raise awareness on issues affecting children around the world. Over the years, this special day has evolved to include children themselves talking and leading broadcasting programs in advocating for better responses to issues affecting them.

With a strong desire to see a Southern Africa that drives its own development by empowering and amplifying the voices of the marginalized, including children and women, Panos holds the ICDB as a platform and effective medium that contribute to holding policy makers, the civil society organizations, private sector and all stakeholders to account on how they invest and efficiently respond to issues affecting children in this country and the world. Moreover, the ICDB is also a platform that children can use to continue shaping, transforming and combating adverse cultural norms and practices that prevent children from fully realising their potential.

Panos is concerned that the numerous challenges that children grapple with every day make it difficult for them to fully realise their potential and contribute positively to development. We are of the view that unless children are viewed and treated as partners in development and have an equal voice at all levels of society, a lot of their potential will remain unrealised and their rights will continue to be violated.

We therefore, encourage different stakeholders including government agencies, civil society organizations and the private sector to invest and create platforms to include children’s voices in decision making. As we shape and advance our development agenda, let us always ensure that “Every Child Counts”. As the IDCB comes up this weekend, we implore all stakeholders in Zambia and Southern Africa to take time to listen to and attend to the voices and pleas of our children, for nothing can be done for them, without them.

 

Issued by:

Lilian Saka Kiefer

Executive Director, Panos Institute Southern Africa (PSAf)

Email: general@panos.org.zm, Tel: +260978778148/9