Child Participation in media, communications and advocacy

1. Media, Communications and Advocacy
Child Participation and Gender Learning Event
3-5 November 2015
Entebbe, Uganda
By Elizabeth Muiruri
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2. Media, Communications and Advocacy
CHILD PARTICIPATION

3. Child Participation is……
An INFORMED and WILLING involvement
of ALL children in matters concerning them
either directly or indirectly.
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4. Child Participation - perspective of media, comms,
advocacy
1. Transparent and informative: Ensure availability
of appropriate and relevant material about Save the
Children and its programmes
2. Participation is voluntary: Discourage use of
leading questions when covering stories from
children, quote their messages verbatim ensure
children are comfortable telling their story.
3. Participation is respectful: Acknowledge the
environmental, cultural and social economic factors
when covering their stories.
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5. Perspective of media, comms and advocacy cont’d
4. Participation is relevant: Write about issues
that the children highlight and consider
important and not limit ourselves to stories,
we as adults deem important.
5. Participation is child friendly: ensure that
children are comfortable before covering
stories, they are relaxed and comfortable with
taking photos, videos and conducting
interviews and they enjoy the process.
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6. 6. Participation is inclusive: ensure that ALL
children get a chance to express themselves
regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, community or
differently abled and be culture sensitive when
covering stories.
7. Participation is supported by training for
adults: ensure communicators are trained and
supervised on how to conduct effective child
participation and provide the necessary support.
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Perspective of media, comms and advocacy cont’d

7. 8. Participation is safe and sensitive to risks: ensure
proper assessment is taken before conducting interviews,
taking photos or covering a story; ensure consent is
ALWAYS given before using photos and videos taken
and where need be withhold the identity of the child.
9. Participation is accountable: encourage child
participation in follow-up activities and be clear on the
nature of support you offer.
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Perspective of media, comms and advocacy cont’d

8. Barriers - Children Perspective
• Children are not informed on issues that
affect them.
• They are unaware of what advocacy is and
how they can be involved.
• They can’t access decision-making processes.
• They lack the capacity to engage.
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9. Barriers from the perspective of adults
• Lack of understanding of what we mean by
participation.
• Lack of time, skills and resources to do it
properly.
• Adults’ negative or have preconceived
attitudes towards children.
• Children’s roles and status in society not
being seen as a priority.
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10. EARO-Children dreams
• Encouraging children
to be at the centre. by
envisioning their
dreams and drawing
them – Imagine their
country, what they
expect from the
leaders and what they
will do.
• Their drawings cut
across their rights
(participation,
protection,
environmental
protection, dreams
when they grow up
and nutritious food.
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11. Children dreams
• These drawings will
be shared in
meetings where
they speak with
their community
leaders, have their
voices heard, calling
for certain actions.
• Given an enabling
platform to add
their voice and
speak up through
this drawing activity
children can be
change agents that
transform any
nation/region
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12. Thank you
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