UNICEF charges broadcast media managers on child well-being priorities

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) urged broadcast media managers to give more priority on child well-being in their various programs.
The called was made by the UNICEF Kano field office nutrition officer Abigail Nyam at the two day advocacy dialogue with news and programs managers of Radio and Television stations from Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina states, at NAESAL suit conference faculty of Agriculture Ahmadu Bello University Zaria (ABU).
Nyam explained that, media has a vital role to play on educating, informing and influencing both policy makers, parents, traditional, religious and other stakeholders to accept and adopt policies that can improve the well-being of children.
The nutrition officer who highlighted how important the first 1000 days is to the children, appealed to the participants to set an agenda in their various stations which could create awareness and convinced all stakeholders to give priorities to their children within first 1000 days of their lives.
“The first 1000 days are critical because it is a period of rapid development. Lack of inadequate nutrition makes children suffer from stunted physical and cognitive development. Also adequate nutrition for women and children from conception to two years including eating of healthy foods during pregnancy, early treatment of infection, good hygiene practices, child spacing, exclusive and optimal breastfeeding”, she said.
Speaking on the objectives of the dialogue, the UNICEF Kano field office Communication specialist Mr Samuel Kaalu said, some of the objectives of the dialogue is to sensitize broadcast media managers on child right priorities and solicit their support to amplify areas of concern and put more priority on matters related to children in their programs.
He maintained that, other objectives include highlighting better understanding on challenges facing children in the northwest region especially in states of Kano, Katsina and Jigawa as well as to support reducing open defecation, out of school children challenges, zero dose/routine immunization and multidimensional poverty.
While in his presentation on reducing open defecation and ensuring hygienic environment, Mr Kaalu said, the source of any diseases is living in unhygienic environment as it can affect your food, drinks and human body at large.