Media Practitioners Are Key Drivers In Community Sensitization, Education ― UNICEF

Media Practitioners Are Key Drivers In Community Sensitization, Education ― UNICEF

Media practitioners have been described as key drivers in community sensitization, education and mobilization, especially when it comes to behavioural change against negative practices among community members on the issues of exclusive breastfeeding.

The assertion was made by UNICEF Nutrition Specialist in Bauchi Field Office, Philomena Irene in opening remarks at the commencement of a 2-day media dialogue to promote awareness on the importance of administering exclusive breastfeeding by lactating mothers held at Crest Hotel, Jos.

The meeting is a sequel to the 2022 World Breastfeeding Week was organized by Bauchi Radio Corporation (BRC) with support from UNICEF Field Office Bauchi.

The UNICEF Nutrition specialist emphasized that the meeting was long overdue considering the fact that since 2018 such dialogue with media practitioners had not taken place due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Philomena Irene also said that as part of the 2022 Breastfeeding Week, the media will be strategically engaged to support the dissemination of key messages on exclusive breastfeeding and infant nutrition amid the post-Covid-19 era.

While giving a broad objective of the meeting, the Nutrition Specialist further said that the media dialogue will seek to strengthen the capacity of media practitioners toward child-focused reporting, using an exclusive breastfeeding approach for enhanced infant nutrition.

According to her, “We also want to expose the media to the first-hand situation of malnourished children with a view to having a better and evidence-based reportage and to leverage on the media as an advocacy channel for positive policies towards exclusive breastfeeding and child nutrition”.

Earlier in his remarks, the Managing Director of Bauchi Radio Corporation (BRC), Surajo Maaji welcomed the participants to the meeting informing them that it is expected that they will brainstorm with Nutrition Officers to develop positive messages for onward dissemination through various platforms.

Represented by BRC/UNICEF Focal Person, Umar Muhammad Shira, the MD further said that at the end of the media dialogue, there will be reports that will help in raising exclusive breastfeeding practices among households.

Surajo Maaji who sounded optimistic about the outcome of the meeting said that “ I am confident that at the end of our two days engagement with this crop of seasoned journalists, there will be news stories, programmes, features, documentaries, special reports and editorials/documentaries, all focused towards enhanced EBF”.

Participants in the media dialogue are drawn from Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau and Taraba States. Apart from journalists, there are other key stakeholders among the participants that include: Nutrition officers from the respective States, and UNICEF Nutrition Consultants.

Also, part of the dialogue meeting will see the Journalists visiting fields to have first-hand information regarding issues of exclusive breastfeeding and Infant nutrition.