UNICEF, the Nigerian Guild of Editors, and the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence have come together to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the goal of advancing children’s rights in Nigeria. This partnership aims to utilize the influential power of the media to promote and protect the rights of children across the nation.
The collaboration will focus on advocacy campaigns, journalist capacity building, shared research, recognizing impactful media contributions, and influencing policy to support children’s rights. The MOU demonstrates a commitment from all parties to work together towards a society that prioritizes and enhances the welfare of its young members.
UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Cristian Munduate, highlighted the potential of the media as an advocate for children’s welfare through this partnership. He emphasized the importance of transforming how children’s rights are portrayed and addressed in the media to ensure that every child’s rights are respected, protected, and fulfilled.
The President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba, emphasized the role of media in societal change and the capacity to shape perspectives and bring about real change. Through this MOU, the focus is on upholding journalistic integrity and working together to report sensitively and impactfully on children’s rights.
Lanre Idowu, Trustee of DAME, stressed the significance of excellence in journalism and the role of awards in elevating journalistic standards. By spotlighting issues like child rights, education, and health, the aim is to incentivize the media to cover stories that can lead to meaningful social impact.
The two-year MOU outlines cooperation to enhance public advocacy and awareness of children’s rights through media campaigns and journalistic content focused on education, health, nutrition, and protection. It also includes developing training programs for journalists, sharing research, promoting awards for outstanding journalism aligned with UNICEF’s priorities, and using media influence to drive policy changes for the benefit of children’s welfare.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UNICEF Nigeria.