Journalists drilled in child rights protection

Art and Global Health Centre Africa (ArtGlo) has drilled journalists from Blantyre in child rights protection.

Speaking on Friday after a two-day training in Blantyre, ArtGlo Youth and Community Engagement manager Lekodi Magombo will empowered journalists with skills in reporting about child rights.

He said: “The sessions were based on child protection work and a campaign we are implementing with Unicef to support ending violence against children and to raise awareness against the current cholera outbreak.

“We recognise that the media is a powerful tool for spreading messages and tackling issues such as violence against children.”

Magombo said since October 2022, they have conducted 23 interventions on child abuse reaching out to 45 000 people and conducted awareness campaigns that have enhanced reporting on violence against children.

“Through the interventions, many people in traditional authorities [T/As] Kuntaja and Machinjiri know about children’s rights and how to report abuses,” he said.

On his part, T/A Machinjiri clerk Winiko Jonas said the organisation has helped to raise awareness on children’s rights in the area.

He said: “People are able to report to relevant authorities when they hear or witness violence against children.

“Again, the organisation facilitated mobile courts which tried child abuse cases.”

A journalist from Blantyre Synod Radio Britta Mpata hailed the organisation for the training.

“I have learned how I can report sensitive issues about children without infringing on their rights,” she said.

ArtGlo is a non-governmental organisation which strives in catalysing citizen action to drive change and influence decision-making in child rights protection.

The training engaged 12 journalists from different media houses.

ArtGlo is implementing the project in T/As Machinjiri and Kuntaja in Blantyre and T/As Njewa and Chiseka in Lilongwe