The Deputy Vice Chancellor, St Paul University, Awka, Professor Chinyere Stella Okunna, has disclosed that about
2.2 billion Children lack access to internet globally, especially the third world countries.
Prof. Okunna who is Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) ICON while speaking
at the ‘Maiden National Summit on Child Rights’, organized by the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, (NAU), Awka, Anambra state, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), equally canvassed for the full domestication of the Child Rights Act by all state governments in Nigeria to save children from gross abuses and denial of access to digital space.
Angel Network News (ANN) reports that
while presenting the paper titled, “The Role of the Nigerian Media in bridging the urban-rural divide for Children in Digital Age”, Prof. Okunna urged the media to join in sensitising parents to give children access to the internet.
Prof Okunna who is the First female Professor of Mass Communication in Nigeria, insisted that there should be a means of controlling children to take advantage of digital media so that there will not be left behind the global trends, but at the same time, the disadvantages inherent in it should be kept away from children.
She listed some of the advantages to include gaming, which provides relaxation to children, social media which connects them to wider world, information and education among many others.
She said: Social media may be dangerous, but that is where parents come in. You have to try to protect them from using it the wrong ways, and you will agree with me that children most times are even more internet savvy, and most times when you drop your phones, they pick it and begin to do one thing or the other with it.
“It is not for nothing that they are called Genzs, so we must explore the advantages in it, and children should be encouraged to embrace the digital world. We should not be over protective, but enhance their access to digital media and also use it to help their studies.”
She quoted from Chike Uzuegbunam’s work to say that about 2.2 billion children lack internet access in the world today. She called on journalists to use their communication power to educate and campaign right, towards the rights of the children to embrace digital age.
Prof. Okunna Insisted that it is very essential by the various state government, especially the Northern states, to consider the Childrens’ right Act to protect children against molestation.
She expressed the concern that none domestication of the Child Right Act has contributed immensely to crimes against children, including child trafficking, hawking, under aged girls’ marriage, domestic violence, maids, rape and kidnapping etc.
According to the Prof, the advent of the social media especially the digital media, has improved as well as fastened the disemination and sharing of information about world events, which reaches millions of children people globally.
“Nigerians are waiting for more states to domesticate the Child Rights Act. when domesticated, the Act would go a long way in curbing child kidnappings, rape, child slavery, hawking and domestic violence among other abuses.
“Children must be allowed access to digital information. Donor Agencies should provide every necessary tools needed to reach the rural children, skills and knowledge.
“Digital technology offers more opportunities and possibilities for children to interact, improve and acquire knowledge about developments in the outside world”, she said.
She explained that the media technology has transformed greatly in the past 7 years, with much advancement in global North including, Europe, America, Canada and Asia, where China has moved beyond the third world.
