WINDHOEK– Namibian children are calling the government, media and civil society to action regarding their rights.
The children under the auspices of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Namibia Chapter recently held a workshop on International Right to Information Day, and Day of the Namibian Child, September 28, after which they have come up with a Declaration on Children and Access to Information. They call on the Civil Society to “engage with government in developing, enhancing and implementing children-specific ATI laws and policies; Monitor progress on the implementation of children-specific ATI laws and policies; Create awareness on children and ATI, and provide assistance to facilitate information access by children.” They further wish for Civil Society to make the best use of access to information mechanisms to monitor governments’ fulfilment of commitments to further children’s rights, to demand the enhanced delivery of services targeted at children and to ensure that the public funds they are entitled to actually reach them.And to also promote September 28 as both African and International Right to Information Day and Day of the Namibian Child and, in particular, carry out activities on that date every year to advance the recognition, awareness and enjoyment of the right of access to information by children.
They call on the media to “respect editorial independence, professional ethics and journalism standards in their provision of information for or concerning children; Refrain from publishing information that victimises and unnecessarily classifies children. The media should print positive, empowering stories about children, without unreasonably differentiating between or discriminating against race, gender, religion, disability, poverty or sexual orientation. We are all children, and all have the same rights. We do not want to be discriminated, belittled and disrespected.”
The media is further called upon to publish more stories focused on issues relevant to children, about children and featuring the voices, perspectives and opinions of children and o disseminate information and material of social and cultural benefit to children. Governments should facilitate the exchange and dissemination of such information and material from a diversity of cultural, national and international sources, as well as the production and dissemination of information specifically for children and youth and wherever reasonably possible facilitate and encourage access to such information by children and youth.
It should respect and promote equality, and provide child representation within their information output as well as promote the widest possible access to their information output, bearing in mind the methods most accessible to children; and enhance mechanisms for children to produce their own media content, and ensure that our voices are heard through the media.
The children further maintain in the Declaration that to the greatest extent possible, information should be available in a child-friendly format at times and places frequented by children. These include but not limited to schools, playgrounds, libraries, online, public transport, civil society organisations, hospitals and community clinics, churches, billboards, through mainstream and social media, and at child-centred events. The Declaration goes on that such information should not only be availed in English but in local languages because many of us are more fluent in our mother-tongue. This will also ensure that indigenous languages do not become extinct. The information needs of children with disabilities are severely neglected. As citizens of this country, they deserve to know what is happening and why? The government, civil society and the media need to put greater effort into catering to their information needs.
Using various forms of artistic expression, such as theatre, music, poetry, and children’s books is also a great way of keeping children informed. Thus the participants in the workshop, through the Declaration are further calling call on the government as well as private and civil society sectors to use these formats to transmit information. There should be more opportunities and platforms for children to hold leadership accountable, “as it is our right as citizens in a democratic country. This should include appointing formalising the Children’s Parliament and ensuring that all local council have Junior Councils,” reads the Declaration. (Second part of the Declaration follows next Wednesday)