© Marco Orlando

At this year’s Prix Jeunesse International Festival, the UNICEF Prize went to the program “Tashi and Sakteng,” produced by the Bhutan Broadcasting Service.

Producer Sonam Phuntsho was in Munich for the Festival and was able to receive the award in person for his program.

Read more about the program, UNICEF Prize and the Prix Jeunesse here.

Mishal is on air at a radio station during International Children's Day of Broadcasting (ICDB).

This March, UNICEF Pakistan organized a country-wide celebration of the ICDB by getting multiple broadcasters on board to allow children not only to be directly involved in radio and television programming, production and presentation, but to give voice to their hopes and dreams and share experiences with their peers.

The ICDB theme for 2012 in Pakistan was ‘Every Child in School’.  This theme is at the heart of a strong campaign that UNICEF PCO has launched to get all out-of-school children enrolled. and encouraged them to brand the day and produce special programmes with children.

UNICEF approached 12 major broadcasters, visited their offices and shared some key messages and statistical information on the state of education in Pakistan, especially, about children out of school – 25 million. All 12 broadcasters responded to their request and produced special programmes for the ICDB focusing on the theme.

Participating broadcasters included Pakistan Television (PTV Home/World), Geo TV, Dawn News, Express News, Indus TV, Aaj TV, Samaa TV, Dunya TV, Radio Pakistan, FM 89, FM 100, FM 107 and FM 91.

Geo TV featured a special news bulletin two times during the day with children as anchors, followed by a special news report by children. These packages and stories primarily focused on children reporting from all over Pakistan, including all major Urban and Rural centres. The children reported from their schools and neighbourhoods, with a focus on education and schools.

Radio FM 91 called it a “Day Dedicated to the Future” and aired continuous hours of ICDB-related programming, including an interview with UNICEF’s Communication Officer Sami Malik and Silver Bullet with RJ Beenish.

Samaa TV aired a special news bulletin three times over the course of the day on ‘Every Child in School,’ presented by children as news anchors.  The Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation produced and aired a special broadcast on “Every Child in School” that featured an overall situational analysis of the state of education in Pakistan and views by people.

Dawn TV aired a newscast presented by children, which also included 14 brief packages (2 to 3 minutes) recorded in various cities with children.  On Express News, Taleem – Har bache ka aaeeni haq, a special ICDB in-studio programme, featured participants including a female teacher running a shelter-less school, a public school teacher and children. Indus TV presented an in-studio live programme called Children’s Special with participation from children from various schools in Karachi and children living on streets.

Pakistan Television aired Ghar ki Baat – ICDB special: A discussion on Every Child in School and Aaj TV, FM 101 and FM 89 all had special ICDB programmes for the day.

Nicaragua doesn’t just celebrate the ICDB with a token show with youth presenters.  UNICEF Nicaragua has transformed the ICDB into a multi-event initiative that integrates culture and social issues for youth and adolescents.    Community Officer Guiselle Alemán Ayala explains that over the past 9 years in Nicaragua, the ICDB “has become a day of social mobilization to put on the public agenda topics of interest of children and adolescents throughout the country.”  The ICDB celebrations include their annual Festival of Radio and TV and, in 2011, the Artists and Friends Concert for Children.  (Because of other logistics, Nicaragua was unable to celebrate the ICDB on 6 March and instead held their comprehensive events over the month of September.)

She shared this video, which shows UNICEF’s multi-faceted approach to the ICDB this past year:

“During those days thousands of children and adolescents participated in various activities calling for Nicaraguan society on compliance demand their rights as: assertive communication between parents and children, the right to truthful information timely and guidance, protection against all types of violence in the family, community and society in general, quality education, warm and inclusive, and finally specialized health services, all the above in order to guarantee a full and happy development in this transition phase adolescence, in which they prepare themselves to become adults whose common desire, regardless of its origin, is having a full happy life.”

You can also check out this video, which highlights the Artists and Friends Concert for Children. On September 10, 2011, twelve bands and nine Nicaraguan singers joined voices to sing for the rights of childhood and adolescence.  More than 5,000 people sang and danced for eight continuous hours of this free concert held in Managua and was one of the most significant activities of UNICEF Nicaragua in 2011.

]]> http://uniceficdb.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/nicaragua-celebrates-the-icdb/feed/ 0 kcirillo nicaragua http://uniceficdb.wordpress.com/2012/01/23/unicef-ends-global-icdb-but-encourages-broadcasters-to-keep-the-spirit-alive/ http://uniceficdb.wordpress.com/2012/01/23/unicef-ends-global-icdb-but-encourages-broadcasters-to-keep-the-spirit-alive/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:23:56 +0000 kcirillo http://uniceficdb.wordpress.com/?p=640 ]]> In 2011, UNICEF marked the 20th Anniversary of its International Children’s Day of Broadcasting initiative.  The initiative, which began as a way to get broadcasters to devote airtime to children’s issues, has grown over the years to become a celebration of young people’s participation in the media.  Along the way, it has inspired the development of quality children’s programming, regularly-programmed youth-led television and radio shows and a multitude of special events.  We have seen it embraced by both high-level private stations to public broadcasters in the smallest of countries.

Today we celebrate what the initiative has been able to accomplish and announce the end of this wonderful ICDB initiative.  From the feedback we’ve received, it is clear that the ICDB has accomplished its goals of getting better quality programming and a dedication from broadcasters to devote more attention to young people.  At this stage, with the shift in the media landscape and the excellent developments that the ICDB has produced, it makes sense to declare the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting a success.

While UNICEF will no longer be coordinating a day or providing a global theme, we encourage broadcasters to continue engaging young people in similar ways, not just on one token day but throughout the year.   If the ICDB has been a success in your country, please continue to celebrate it in a way that makes sense to your situation, choosing a theme or subject that resonates for your community.

Many broadcasters have shared plans for exciting new youth/media participation projects.  Please continue to share details of these initiatives, as we plan to highlight and share these projects and their outcomes and products with the larger UNICEF community.  And that includes continuing this blog as a source of inspiration.  You can send updates to kcirillo at unicef.org

Thank you for all of your support, creativity and dedication to increasing the participation of youth in media and the improvement of media for children.  It has been wonderful to see the diverse manifestations of the ICDB over the years and we are so pleased to be ending this initiative on a positive and successful note.

Karen Cirillo
Executive Producer, Children’s Broadcasting Initiatives

The winners were announced on 5 December on the special edition “ICDB Awards” website.  Also honored was ATN Bangla, for its long-standing commitment to youth and television.

Read more about the winners’ programming on the Awards website.  Congratulations to all!

Winners will be announced 5 December 2011.

This year’s nominees come from Andorra, Bangladesh, Benin, China, India, Iran, Mexico, Nepal, South Africa, Togo and Uganda and represent the best work produced in 2011 for the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting.  The nominees each won a regional competition and now go on to compete for global honours.

The winner of the 2011 ICDB Awards will be announced by UNICEF Headquarters in New York on 5 December 2011.

The ICDB Regional Prizes for television went to ATN Bangla (Bangladesh, “Dismantling Discrimination”), C7 Sistema Jalisciense de Radio y TV (Mexico, “Rosa o Azul”), Télévision Togolaise (TVT) (Togo, “A Nous la Planete”) and Step Television (Uganda, “Cool Kids (Boys Are Girls Are).

The ICDB Regional Prizes for radio went to Ràdio SER Principat D’Andorra (“Hora L / IK+”), Office de Radiodiffusion et television du Bénin (ORTB) (“Quand les enfants prennent la parole…”), Radio Beijing Corporation (China, “We are Different, We are the Best”), All India Radio  (“Joy-Live”), Salamat Radio (Iran, “My Child”), C7 Sistema Jalisciense de Radio y TV (Mexico, “La Barra Infantil”)“, National Radio (Nepal, “Saathi Sang Manka Kura,” produced by Equal Access Nepal)  and Maputaland Community Radio Station (South Africa, “Boys Are Girls Are”).

The International Children’s Day of Broadcasting is a day set aside each year to celebrate children’s broadcasting and encourages young people to get involved in television and radio broadcasting.  The 2011 ICDB theme, “Girls Are… Boys Are…,” and asked children to talk about children’s rights and their importance.

Regional judging took place between June and August and entries were evaluated by teams of broadcasters, radio and television experts and communications specialists. The judges looked at content, execution and year-round youth participation.

This year, Radio Ser Andorra joined in the ICDB initiative.

Radio Ser Andorra not only participated during the ICDB but also makes a space for youth throughout the year.

Radio Ser Andorra is a national radio belonging to the international “Prisa Media Group” and has a daily magazine called “l’Hora L”  (the L Hour) presented and directed by Esther Pons.  On this magazine show, every Tuesday a group of youths of Andorra aged between 15 to 20 have their own space called “Ik +” (“And, what’s more…”).

This youth space is about current issues that young people consider important and is a place where they can exercise their right to express their views and be heard. Young people in the program get to interview professionals, technicians, politicians, etc… of Andorra.  The youth ask questions, share opinions and interact, which enables them to form a clear view and objective of the issues that concern them.

During the special ICDB episode, the youth discussed the theme of the ICDB (Girls Are… Boys Are…) and also talked about adolescence, which was the subject of this year’s State of World’s Children report.

The youth participants and the radio station plan to present this Magazine to the ICDB awards so that they can show to all the youth of the world that “young people of a little country like Andorra also have voice”.

A total of 13 radio stations from the four provinces in Sierra Leone, one television station and one children and youth media and musical group took part in the ICDB this year.

20 children were involved at each of the stations and media/musical group. This means 300 children took part in this year’s ICDB event in Sierra Leone.

Most of the radio programmes were talk shows comprised of children themselves, radio dramas and phone-ins. One was a musical review by the children/youth artists and there was a short television documentary.

The theme, “Girls are, Boys are…” was stretched to cover various advocacy issues on child rights, responsibilities and development such as:

• equal opportunities and access to quality education for both boys and girls
• every girl as well as boys should be protected from violence, child labour and exploitation
• teenage pregnancy keeps girls away from school
• improve children’s access to free health care services
• boys and girls should have access to information to prevent HIV
• we boys and girls should prevent diarrhoea by washing our hands with running water and soap before meals and after using the toilets

ICDB was celebrated with participation of children from different parts of Bhutan, involving themselves to reflect and express their voices and opinions. ICDB was celebrated on Bhutan Broadcasting Service, the national Television and radio station and Kuzoo FM as the two stations have nationwide coverage.

In line with the international theme “Girls are… Boys are….” Bhutan Broadcasting Service Corporation (BBSC) radio/TV and Kuzoo FM observed the day with participation of children (Girls/Boys) on the stated theme in Bhutan context.

On BBS Radio, there was a magazine program on children’s views and perspective on gender involving children from villages in districts, towns and schools.  BBS Radio also hosted a live call in on children and youth’s perspective on Gender, asking questions like: Do you like to be a boy/girl?  Why? What are the advantages/disadvantages of being a boy/girl?

BBS TV featured a magazine program involving children on the theme with live coverage and participation of children from the districts and live call in from children and youths.

Kuzoo FM aired a magazine program on children’s views and perspectives on gender from traditional,  educational, religious, political and other social indicators.

The programs were aired in a combination of English, Dzongkha-national language, Sharchop-language of eastern Bhutan and Lhotsampa-language of southern Bhutan.