Some 30 children will take part in a KidsTakeover Media in Malaysia to make their voices heard on World Children’s Day. On 20 November, children will speak up about what matters most to them, either hosting your favourite show, appearing in TV and radio public service announcements, writing a column or acting as social media managers. The children come from different walks of life, including children with disabilities as well as refugee and undocumented children.
Check out the KidsTakeover Media in Malaysia – Program Schedule
Over 10 major media partners spanning across TV, radio, print and online will participate in this global movement under this year’s theme, #ForEveryChild. For a full listing of media programmes, click > WCD Children’s Media Takeover – 20 Nov Media Program
UNICEF announced the Kidstakover Media in Malaysia this afternoon at its official launch of World Children’s Day. True to the spirit of “for children by children”, UNICEF put children front and centre as the stars of the launch.
A young refugee girl who fled Somalia and dreams of being a gynecologist shared her story during the KidsTakeover media launch. While a Malaysian-born teenager expressed his determination to get an education in spite of his statelessness. We also saw incredibly talented young people taking charge at the launch as presenters and actors, just a taste of what is to come for the KidsTakeover Media in Malaysia.
“When given the opportunity, children in Malaysia show us that they are clear about the society they want to see and build in the future: quality education, no violence, solidarity and kindness”, said UNICEF’s Representative to Malaysia, Marianne Clark-Hattingh. “Throughout the day on 20 November, whenever you tune in to your radio or TV, go online, or read a newspaper, you will see or hear a child to send this message of hope.”
Children4Change Survey – Children want kindness
Child news anchor Putri Damia, 13 also announced the breaking news – releasing results from the UNICEF Children4Change poll which involved 1,036 children aged 6-17 years old from across Malaysia. The poll found that more than 80 per cent of children pledged to be kind and respectful to one another, regardless of race, gender or disability, as a way to build a better future.
“I think that the world we live in can be and will be a better place if we start working together, taking care of each other and putting aside our religion, sex and race,” said a 17-year-old girl from Johor. “We’re all still humans at the end of the day and we need to make the world a better place for the next generation.”
Other results from the Children4Change Opinion poll, conducted both online and offline, are:
- 3 in 4 children want our leaders to provide quality education for every child, including children with disabilities, migrant and refugee children, which remains their primary concern. Almost as many also want leaders to ensure their safety from all forms of violence, including bullying and corporal punishment.
- Beside education and safety, ending racism and discrimination was among the top five priorities shared by almost 70 percent of children, and over half agreed that solidarity was needed to make the world a better place.
- Encouragingly, the results also revealed that more than half of the children felt optimistic about their future.
Low Ngai Yuen, President of Kakiseni, said, “Freedom to have a voice is such a fundamental right for every child and I believe that the more opportunities that we create for children to express themselves, the more we feed children’s drive to participate and expand their minds. So let’s open avenues in society where young people are included and accountable. When they are taught to value accountability, you’ll find that children will do their best to live up to it.”
#KidsTakeOver #WorldChildrensDay #ForEveryChild #Children4Change
