Fifteen Bangladeshi journalists, including three child journalists received Meena Media Awards 2023 in recognition of their work on child rights in Bangladesh during the 18th edition of the Award.
The award was announced at a ceremony organized at a hotel in Dhaka on Monday afternoon.
The United Nations Children's Fund Unicef has been giving this award since 2005.
Unicef gives this award to journalists for highlighting children's rights and their reality.
The winners were selected after reviewing a total of 300 entries under print, online, photography and video categories. They received monetary awards, crests, and certificates.
They said that Unicef received more than 1,000 submissions from print, photo and video journalists, working in both national and local media outlets, more than three times last year’s total of 300 entries.
According to Unicef, the winning and shortlisted reports covered issues such as child forced marriage, child labour, rights, menstruation, street children, climate change, torture and underprivileged children.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury attended the program as the chief guest.
Congratulating the award winners, she said: “Media has an important role in voicing the needs of children. Their insightful analysis of children’s issues provides crucial guidance for both society and policymakers, urging them to take meaningful action in ensuring children’s rights.”
Renowned Educationist and Fiction writer Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam,Film Maker and Lecturer at the Pathshala South Asian Media Institute Shameem Akhtar, , Executive Editor of Dhaka Tribune Reaz Ahmad, Unicef National Ambassador Bidya Sinha Saha Mim, Unicef Child’s advocates, representatives from media, and donor agencies and many others were present as special guests.
Winners of the Unicef Meena Media Awards 2023 (18 or Above)
Udisa Islam, Bangla Tribune, “Where it comes from and where it goes, the children who are unaccounted for” (Print Journalism-Child Rights)
Ahmadul Hassan, Prothom Alo, “Government primary schools remained poor” (Print Journalism- Education and Children)
Md Sazid Hossain, Daily Prothom Alo, “Rescue a baby from a fire-ravaged building” (Photojournalism)
Md Boni Amin, Jamuna Television, “Robbing the dropout students” (Video Journalism)
Md Shabuj Mahmud, Independent Television, “Child buying and selling” (Video Journalism)
Md Rakibul Hasan Tamim, Dhaka Post, “Period Complications: Adolescents Beside Adolescents as Ambassadors of Change” (Print Journalism- Children as agents of change)
Md Jasim Uddin, Dhaka Post, “Security excuse / Puberty is like 'the end' for Rohingya girls” (Print Journalism- Rohingya Refugee Children)
Musa Mollick, Dhaka Post, “Dirty toilets in schools, teenagers in a silent epidemic” (Print Journalism- Children at risk)
Nazrul Islam, Dhaka Post, “A Loophole in law due to the war on Corona: the march of child marriage is getting longer day by day” (Print Journalism- Gender equality)
Rabiul Alam, Dhaka Note, “Manta and Erosion-Hit Children Grapple with Endless Identity Crisis, Thousands Drop Out” (Print Journalism- Education and Children)
Sadhan Kumar Sarker, Daily Protidiner Bangladesh, “When children are the victim of climate change” (Print Journalism- Climate change and children)
Sharmin Rima, Cvoice24.com, “Who turned them into 'criminals'?” (Print Journalism-Child Rights)
Winners of the Unicef Children’s Meena Media Awards 2023 (Below 18)
Md Safayet Hossain Shanto, Daily Ajker Sundarban, “Inspiration to Survive the Extreme” (Photojournalism)
MD Mojahid Islam, ATN Bangla, “Will the 50 children and teenagers from Jessore's brothels decide to pursue prostitution as a livelihood similar to their mother's?” (Video Journalism)
Md Naime Islam, economicnews24.com, “Transgender childhood is the name of a Terror” (Print Journalism)
The stories shared by winners and nominees centre around critical issues such as children impacted by climate shocks, girls facing challenges in managing menstrual hygiene, children living in street situations, and children hailing from the marginalized communities.
“The news reports, photographs, and videos showcased at the Meena Media Award today not only highlight the needs of children but also what can be done to make their lives better. As we gather here to honour the journalists, let us reaffirm our commitments to ensure that the children’s voices are heard, their dreams nurtured, and their rights protected,” said Sheldon Yett, Unicef Representative to Bangladesh.
A nine-member expert panel of judges comprising of leading creative writers, media professionals both from print and broadcast media, photographers and academics selected the awardees among 65 nominees in 12 categories.
The judges assessed each entry through a strict marking process where the names of the participants were replaced by a specific code number to ensure non-biased judgement.
“The Meena Media Awards annually remind us of our utmost responsibility to safeguard the rights of children. I am confident that our journalist community, including the aspiring child journalists, will continue to write about the pressing issues that impact the lives of children in Bangladesh,” said Dr Gitiara Nasreen, Professor of Department of Mass Communication & Journalism in the University of Dhaka, and one of the 2023 awards judges.
The Unicef Meena Media Awards are named after Meena, the popular cartoon character held dear by children and adults in Bangladesh and elsewhere in the world.
Meena, created by Unicef, has been speaking up for the rights of children, and reminding adults of their responsibilities, in Bangladesh and beyond since 1993.
