The United Nations Children’s Fund has urged journalists to scrutinise government budgets and spending on children to ensure that allocations translate into improved education, healthcare, nutrition and other essential services.
UNICEF made the call during a one-day Media Dialogue on Public Financing for Children organised by the Bauchi State Government, through the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and Multilateral Coordination, in collaboration with the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office.
The dialogue, which brought together journalists from Bauchi, Gombe and Plateau states, was organised as part of UNICEF’s advocacy efforts to strengthen public financing for children in its field office states.
The participants were challenged to move beyond reporting political promises and budgetary allocations by tracking the release and utilisation of funds as well as the impact of government programmes on children.
The UNICEF Chief of Field Office in Bauchi, Dr Nuzhat Rafique, represented by the UNICEF Education Specialist, Abdulrahman Ado, said the media had a critical role to play in ensuring that government budgets prioritised the needs of children and vulnerable families.
She said, “Journalists have an important role to play in improving government budgets, ensuring timely release of funds and monitoring programmes targeting children and women.”
Rafique urged journalists to use the political and election period to question candidates on their plans for children, the cost of implementing such plans and how the proposed funds would reach vulnerable children and communities.
She expressed concern that issues including out-of-school children, malnutrition, poor healthcare services and inadequate access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene continued to affect families.
She therefore called for non-partisan reporting that would focus on children’s rights, government commitments, public financing and measurable results rather than political personalities and affiliations.
Also speaking, the UNICEF Social Policy Specialist, Yusuf Auta, said investment in children should start from conception and continue throughout childhood.
Auta stressed the need for adequate funding for maternal and newborn healthcare, noting that every child deserved to be born in a safe and healthy environment.
He urged journalists to follow the budget process from allocation and release of funds to utilisation and results.
“Journalists need to track whether government commitments are translating into improved services for children. It is not enough to report that money has been allocated; the media should find out whether the money was released, how it was spent and what results were achieved,” Auta said.
Presenting a framework for media accountability, Dr Ali Dankumo urged journalists to make children a central issue of political accountability, particularly during election campaigns.
Dankumo said journalists should examine political candidates’ manifestos and demand clear proposals on education, out-of-school children, maternal and child healthcare, nutrition, water and sanitation, child protection, disability inclusion, social protection, girls’ education and youth development.
He said, “Every major promise affecting children should be accompanied by questions on what it would cost, where the money would come from, how much government would contribute, how many children would benefit and when implementation would begin.”
Dankumo also encouraged journalists to report positive stories of resilience, successful interventions and solutions that were improving the lives of children and families.
He said the media should provide platforms for government officials, civil society organisations, academics and communities to discuss workable solutions to challenges affecting children.
In his opening remarks, the Managing Director of the Bauchi Radio Corporation, Umar Shira, called on journalists to use their platforms to advocate better policies and increased investment in children’s health and welfare.
Shira described investment in children’s health as an investment in the future of society, adding “adequate financing would help build a healthier, stronger and more productive generation.”
The dialogue also emphasised the importance of journalism ethics, including truth and accuracy, independence, fairness, accountability and minimising harm when reporting issues involving children and vulnerable families.
The participants were urged to ensure that their reports went beyond government promises and budget figures by asking whether funds were released, how they were spent, who benefited and what changes were achieved.
The dialogue stressed that by following the money and measuring results, journalists could help ensure that budgetary commitments to children translated into tangible improvements in their lives.
