UNICEF’s Suraksha campaign has launched a Media Handbook to look into various policies, schemes and guidelines available for the protection of children and how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted violence against them. The handbook is expected to help journalists in coverage of issues relating to children in print, broadcast and digital media.
“The handbook has been designed to provide information and government data concerning the issue. It also looks into the various policies, schemes and guidelines available for the protection of children, while also focusing on how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the incidences of violence against children,” Madhulika Jonathan, UNICEF Assam’s chief of field office, said.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has affected lives of children, violence against them in different forms, malnutrition resulting from severe economic hardship in families and inequality in receiving education have hindered their growth and development, leading to severe long-term consequences in their future,” Pijush Hazarika, Assam Information and Public Relations Minister, said. He further added that it is essential to address these issues so that every child is able to prosper in a safe and secure environment, and not to lose out on the progress that has been made in securing the rights of our children before the pandemic.
According to Bishnu Kamal Borah, director, Information and Public Relations, media can help build and shape attitudes and opinions, while raising awareness on issues of social importance, and providing a suitable platform to children to share their voices on matters that affect them. The launch also marked the start of media workshops that will be organized jointly by UNICEF, Directorate of Information and Public Relations of Assam government and Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR) in 10 districts.
With inputs from PTI.
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