Promoting Children’s Rights: UNICEF, ASMAC Organise Song Competitions

In order to involve young people in sensitizing their peers on children’s rights, the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF and the Advanced School of Mass Communication, ASMAC of the Yaounde of the University of Yaounde II, in November 2022 launched a Mbole and Slam song competition. Whose concluding phase and handover of prizes held in the ASMAC campus in Ngoa-Ekelle, Yaounde on Friday, May 13, 2023. The event also afforded the opportunity for UNICEF to sensitise ASMAC students on its work in promoting children’s rights. 

Slam Song Winner
Serge-Vianney Kamga alias TKS, who won the slam song competition, said it was her first time to take part in a slam competition. “Slamming is more of a pastime to me. I will continue with slamming because you do not abandon what you like. The prize is also a win for children, who ought not to be maltreated or stigmatized for any condition they were born with. They are normal human beings like the rest of the people,” Vianney said.

Mbole Song Winner
Nesse Tagenang Patrick alias Freshboy, won the Mbole competition. “I am so grateful to the organizers and UNICEF, which promotes the rights of children. Before now, Mbole was considered music for layabouts. But today, it is recognized as part of Cameroonian culture. We need to uplift it. My songs focus on the plight of children. I use music to encourage young people not to lose hope,” Nesse Tagenang averred. 

For A More Equal, Inclusive World 
According to Laure Anny Atangana-Menounga, Communication Specialist with UNICEF Cameroon, the music competitions enabled young people to pass on messages to young people. The theme of the competitions was, “For a more equal and inclusive world.” “Participants were dynamic and their messages were deep. UNICEF and ASMAC are about to sign a partnership agreement in the coming weeks. We also came to meet ASMAC Journalism and Communication students to offer them opportunities with our organization,” Laure Menounga disclosed.

For A Better Future
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Khaled Halouane, UNICEF Cameroon Interim Country Representative said UNICEF’s new country programme for 2022-2026 calls for a new and better Cameroon for children. “Reinventing a better Cameroon for children is also about building a world in which each child is seen, taken into account and included. This is the objective of the theme of today’s activity: “For a more equal and inclusive world for each child,” he said.

Taking Interest In Children’s Rights
Khaled felicitated ASMAC for organizing the ceremony, and especially for the efforts made for young people to take interest in children’s rights. “The event held at a time ASMAC is celebrating its 50th anniversary on the theme, “50 years of life at the service of excellence in information and communication.” I would like to congratulate ASMAC Director, Prof. Alice Nga Minkala, for organizing last Wednesday’s press conference to launch the celebration.

The Voice For Children 
He said as the voice for children, UNICEF and partners work hard so that each child in Cameroon - girls, boys, including teenagers – live well, learn, and are protected and develop all their potentials, therefore contributing to the growth of human capital and social wellbeing. “In this light that UNICEF recognizes the crucial role of communication as an effective tool for social inclusion and equality,” Khaled said. 

Breaking Cycle Of Inequality, Exclusion 
“UNICEF seeks to break the cycle of inequality and exclusion by tackling challenges whose victims are marginalised children. This means supporting children to enable them have a good takeoff in life and continue to intervene in key moments of their childhood and adolescence,” Halouane observed. “On this subject, UNICEF and ASMAC share the same points of view as our two organisations are strongly attached to the promotion of children’s rights and implementing programmes,” he noted. 

Expression Through Music
“For this advocacy, we invited young people to express themselves through different means such as music. The power of music rests in the capacity to make certain emotions felt, and to create unity links. One of the most popular genres of music in Cameroon today is Mbole. It is music for young people, which draws its inspiration from their culture and daily lives,” Halouane said. 

Giving Neighbourhood Children A Chance 
“A true Cameroonian identity, which goes beyond art, seeks to express the mode of life of neighbourhood...