By Princess-Ekwi Ajide, Abuja
ECOWAS Regional Radio, has partnered a social enterprise that is working with the government through the Ministry of Education, Bridge Liberia, UNICEF Liberia, Action-Aid and Youth Media Action, to provide technical support to over 300 public primary schools across the country.
The support which came in commemoration of this year’s Day of the African Child with theme: The Rights of the Child in the Digital Environment, was an opportunity for the radio to host over 50 children who raised awareness on the promotion and protection of children’s rights in the digital environment.
They challenged Member States and other relevant stakeholders to make commitments towards the realization of child rights in the digital environment.
Radio programmes led by the young children throughout the day, placed emphasis on Article four of the Revised ECOWAS Treaty of 1993 which guarantees the fundamental principles of human rights in accordance with provisions of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, alongside the ECOWAS Child Policy which fully recognizes and integrates the targets set out in the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals-SDGs.
In raising awareness on children’s rights in the digital environment, they touched on various thematic areas highlighting roles and responsibilities of children, parents, stakeholders and service providers in the thriving digital age, including education, health and community engagements to reinforce the protection of children from vices such as cyberbullying, child pornography and sexual exploitation among others.
Guests who featured live radio programmes included government officials, with specific reference to the office of the First Lady of the Republic of Liberia, representatives from diplomatic missions accredited near Monrovia, women’s groups, civil society actors and youth ambassadors, who also participated in the official programme held at the premises of the ECOWAS Radio.
Day of the African Child-DAC, held annually on 16th June in honor of those who participated in the Soweto uprising in 1976.
It was established by the Organization of African Unity, now the African Union and is aimed at raising awareness on the situation of children in Africa and the rights of African children, as stipulated under article II to XXII of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
