Dubai, 28 November 2007 - Displaying refreshing enthusiasm and wide understanding of the issues that affect them on a daily basis, adolescents gathered at the Arab Media Humanitarian Forum demanded more access to expression and media opportunities to voice their concerns and aspirations as well as their initiatives and contributions to achieve more thriving tomorrows for the youngest generations.

The declaration stemming from the Forum calls on media institutions to design permanent and sustainable avenues for legitimate adolescent participation as well as the development of programmes to address social topics that impact Arab youths alike. This concurred with a unanimous call by adolescents for Arab satellite channels to commit to the development of a permanent platform to enable regular broadcasting and dissemination of materials and documentaries produced by young people.

Adolescent delegates from several Arab countries also proposed the review of curricula presently imparted at social communication faculties and the establishment of cooperation agreements between journalists and academia to facilitate media professionals' full observance of aspects relating to ethical standards, adolescent participation and key principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Forum's declaration reflects the expectations of youths with regards to further engagement of the civil society in the integration of activities linking adolescent groups and the local media.

Other areas of development identified by adolescents include the State's direct responsibility to provide reliable statistics and data on adolescents; the use of digital and online resources -blogs, chat rooms, online networks, citizen journalism, online surveys, video clips- as adolescent-friendly direct mechanisms to voice adolescents' concerns and a modern means to "reach out to the excluded, the vulnerable and the marginalized".  

The Forum also acknowledged the legitimacy of media initiatives by adolescents in several Arab countries which have potential for regional and international expansion. Other countries in the region are in the process of establishing fully functional digital communities within the school environment.

To ensure implementation of the ideas proposed by the Forum's collective, the declaration aims at creating a permanent committee to follow-up, monitor and report on developments and drawbacks. The annual prizes that will be awarded are one promising monitoring tool. 

Dubai Forum launches Arab Media Humanitarian Prize on Children and Adolescents

A major outcome of the Arab Media Humanitarian Forum is the announcement of an Annual Media Award to the best journalistic works on children and adolescents. This initiative is sponsored by the UNICEF, Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa, the Dubai Press Club and UAE's Al Bayan Newspaper.

The first edition of the prize is to be awarded in the context of the 2008 Arab Media Humanitarian Forum and will include 4 categories: television, radio, written press and online media as well as materials produced by adolescents. It will reward the best coverage of adolescent issues.

In another first, a representative group of adolescents from the Arab region will be part of the jury.

-Ends-

For further information, please contact:
Abdel-Rahman Ghandour,
Regional Chief of Communication,
UNICEF MENA-RO
E-mail :arghandour@unicef.org / Mobile: +96279 700 4567

Wolfgang Friedl,
Communication Officer UNICEF MENA-RO,
E-mail: wfriedl@unicef.org / Mobile: +96279 573 2745

Zeina Habib, Comunication Officer,
UNICEF Dubai,
E-mail: zhabib@unicef.org / Mobile: +971 50656 2753

© Press Release 2007