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yesterday urged journalists to play a catalytic and constructive role in nation-building, through championing women and children’s rights.
In a speech read on his behalf by the director of information responsible for rural communication in the Ministry, Mr Regis Chikowore, during a media capacity development workshop organised by Unicef in Nyanga, Cde Charamba said it was important for journalists to bring to the fore issues that affect women and children.
“The journalists must play a catalytic and constructive role in nation building and more specifically champion women and children’s rights at their respective work stations,” said Cde Charamba, who is also the Presidential spokesman.
“An informed media plays a leading role in informing, educating and mobilising people towards lofty goals and practical endeavours.”
He said giving visibility to women and children should not be viewed as an event but as a developmental process.
“There is no way we can debate on the national agenda without involving women and children. We cannot talk about land reform, indigenisation and economic empowerment, the draft constitution and elections without involving women and children.
“Issues of gender equality, the girl child and children living in the streets are burning issues that are on the national agenda and our journalists cannot avoid raising these issues in the national discourse.”
He urged journalists to get out of their comfort zones and play constructive roles in topical issues that are on the national agenda.
“If journalists can be able to interpret the political, social, economic and cultural environment for the country’s different publics, then they would be playing a constructive role in nation-building.
“Development stories invariably do not sell newspapers, but that is no excuse for ignoring them. We ignore them at our own expense, which is at the cost of denying a voice of the voiceless. Journalists should make concerted efforts to complement the work of Government and its partners,” said Cde Charamba. He said journalists should have a keen interest in interpreting the country’s circumstances using their own news values.
“The challenge to our media remains one of interpreting and describing events through our own eyes as Zimbabweans as opposed to analysing and interpreting national issues using Western lenses.
“We need to interpret our own circumstances using our own news values as yardsticks instead of applying Western values. Such a thrust requires courage of convictions and accepting that journalists are guided by national values,” said Cde Charamba.
He thanked Unicef for working hand in hand with the Government in dealing with challenges that affect women and children.
“Our Ministry wishes to thank Unicef for working with the Government and bringing together journalists from different parts of the country to deal with challenges that affect women in the country,” he said.
The Unicef chief of communications, Mr Samson Muradzikwa, said the organisation was prepared to work with the Government in protecting women and children against all forms of challenges in different aspects.
Online Reporter