Young Voices Reach Out to the Community

Susan Issa Adam, one of the producers of the 'Voices of Children' radio programme, is pictured recording at the UNAMID radio studio. Photo by Hamid Abdulsalam, UNAMID.

15 Apr 2015

Young Voices Reach Out to the Community

By Sharon Lukunka

 Radio plays an important role in conflict regions as, often, it serves as the most far-reaching medium for public information and awareness-raising.

In Darfur, UNAMID has been broadcasting regular programmes through a reproduction agreement with the Government-owned radio station Al Salaam based in Omdurman, near Khartoum.  The Mission’s flagship programme, ‘Yala Nebni Darfur,’ meaning  ‘Let’s build Darfur,’ features real life issues related to peace building, women, children, culture, health, education and the economy in the region.

Additionally, on 15 April 2014, UNAMID’s Communications and Public Information Section and Child Protection Unit, in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs, launched ‘Voices of Children’ a first of its kind programme dedicated to addressing the issues concerning children in the region. It includes a one-hour segment focusing on child rights, education, health, daily life of Darfuri children living in different areas, discussions on children’s lives in the region. It also includes music, comedy, sports, news, poems, songs, drama performances and current affairs, as well as advice from doctors and social workers.

The show is produced and packaged by school children selected from the Zam Zam and Abu Shouk camps for the displaced, as well as from El Fasher town, North Darfur. Taj Alsafia, 15, Susan Issa Adam, 16, Mastura Yacoub, 14 and Malaz Al Fatah, 13, are among the producers of the programme.
 

Taj, winner of a national award for Best Radio Producer last year, says he enjoys his involvement in ‘Voices of Children.’ “I am happy to be a part of the programme because I want to be heard on radio talking about issues of concern for the community,” he says. On being asked about his plans for the future, he reveals that he wants to be an engineer.    

 

‘Voices of Children,’ is aired every Friday and repeated every Monday, on Al Salaam Radio. The programme is based on one of the principal rights enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child – namely, children’s right to express their views freely and have their views given due weight. It also serves as a meeting point where children can express themselves, share information, play and laugh.
 

The Mission has supported the programme since its inception, by providing training for the children as well as studio equipment, office supplies, and technical expertise.  Adam Ahmed, Radio Producer, UNAMID, works closely with the children in providing them with necessary guidance and skills to air their products. “Since the launch of ‘Voices of Children,’ we have continuously received positive feedback from our audiences, including queries as to how their children can participate in the programme as well,” said Mr. Ahmed.

According to UNESCO, radio reaches over 95 per cent of people worldwide and several radio stations in Africa have more than a million listeners each. Community radio often speaks in languages ignored by mainstream media and shares vital information with hard-to-reach audiences. Children and young people make up an important percentage of this audience. But young people’s voices are still not heard in a consistent and recognized way.

This year’s World Radio Day, annually celebrated on 13 February, highlights the significance of radio to the world’s 1.8 billion young women and men. In his message on the occasion, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says, “as the international community shapes new sustainable development goals and a new global agreement on climate change, we need to hear the voices of young women and men, loudly, strongly and urgently.”

‘Voices of Children,’ by giving a space to the displaced children in this part of the world, seeks to harness the potential of the opinion-makers of tomorrow in achieving this end.

You can listen to the latest programme of ‘Voices of Children’ in Arabic here.