The Joining Forces for Africa (JOFA): Acting to End Child Labour (ACTE) project, led by Save the Children and Plan International Malawi, has marked significant milestones in its mission to reduce the worst forms of child labour in Malawi. One of the standout achievements of the project has been its strategic engagement with the media, a critical player in amplifying the message against child labour and influencing public discourse.
Recognizing the powerful role that the media plays in shaping opinions and driving societal change, JOFA ACTE has made media engagement a cornerstone of its advocacy strategy. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was recently signed between the project and the Media Institute for Southern Africa – Malawi Chapter (MISA-Malawi).
Empowering Journalists for Impactful Reporting
As part of this collaboration, JOFA ACTE has implemented several initiatives to empower journalists to cover child labour with greater depth and insight. A key aspect of this effort was the training of over 50 reporters from various media houses across the country. These journalists were equipped with essential knowledge on child protection, safeguarding, and the intricacies of child labour, ensuring that they can produce informed and impactful stories.
The trained journalists are now more equipped to contribute meaningfully to the fight against child labour, using their platforms to educate the public, influence policy, and advocate for systemic changes.
The project has also introduced a media awards program that will recognize and reward outstanding journalism in child labour reporting. This initiative is designed to incentivize journalists to continue shining a light on this critical issue, driving public awareness and holding duty bearers accountable.
Media Tours: Bringing Stories to Life
To provide journalists with firsthand experiences and stories that bring the reality of child labour to the forefront, JOFA ACTE has organized several media tours. One of the most recent tours, conducted in May, took reporters to communities deeply affected by child labour. These on-the-ground experiences allowed journalists to witness the challenges and the efforts being made to combat child labour. The stories they produced from this tour were not just eye-opening but also formed the basis of an advocacy brief presented by the project to the Minister of Labour. This brief has called for a renewed commitment from the government to intensify actions towards ending child labour.
Some of the stories captured and published by Journalists can be found through the links below;
https://malawi.savethechildren.net/news/expansive-urbanisation-leaves-lasting-scar-children
https://malawi.savethechildren.net/news/abandoned-their-fate
This publication was produced with the financial support of the European Union.
Its contents are the sole responsibility of Joining Forces and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union