Children have something to say

A group of young filmmakers from India were awarded the much coveted Special Achievement Award at the One World Media Awards, presented by Jon Snow in London on Thursday 12 June 2003.

The One World Special Achievement Award 2003 focused on media initiatives in the developing world which have made a real impact on the lives of ordinary people. The previous year it was won by the BBC World Service. This is the first time children have been recipients of this prestigious award.

‘Children have something to say’ is an initiative run by Plan as part of our worldwide commitment to ensuring children’s voices are heard. Four children from the poor outskirts of Delhi and Mysore were in London to represent the project and receive the award.

The films campaign on some of the issues these young people, aged between 13 and 17, believe need changing in their communities, from child labour to child marriage and child prostitution, from rag pickers to addiction.

To date 36 short films have been produced entirely by children - from identifying and researching the issues, writing scripts, directing, operating the camera, sound and reporting. The impact from these films has been huge. One film temporarily closed down a polluting paper factory forcing them to take responsibility for the contamination in the local water supply. Another brought about vital changes in the laws protecting Jogini women – girls who are born into becoming ‘temple’ or village prostitutes.

Saroj, who was 15 when she was the anchor on ‘Addicted Innocence’, describes the change her film brought about. 'After showing our film on the growing trend of children addicted to chewing tobacco at a Children's Film Festival, a group of children sent a petition to their local government pressurising them to do something about this hazardous trend. As a result street sellers have been banned from selling chewing tobacco within 100 metres of the schools.'

The Trustees of One World Broadcasting Trust who make this Special Award, were struck by the project’s remarkable success in communicating real issues of importance to the people of India.

Tony Young, Chair of One World Broadcasting Trust explained: 'In placing a microphone in the hands of impoverished children, they have given them the authority to question the practices about them; to challenge their treatment, and the treatment of their neighbours. The extraordinary quality of the films is a tribute to the undoubted talent of these children, and the benevolent almost non-existent guidance of the few adults involved. Films by children, for adults, of the highest calibre.'

The films have been shown at Children's film festivals, and the Japanese Broadcasting Corporation, Dutch television, and Finnish MTV have all shown selections of the films. But primarily, the films are shown where Plan intended them to have the most lasting impact - to the communities of the children who made them.

Sameer Sah, from Plan, one of the founders of 'Children have Something to Say', said: 'Winning this award is testament to the children’s abilities as filmmakers. These are not children from well-educated backgrounds, but the ordinary children, agencies like Plan work with everyday. Our commitment to ensuring these children are given a voice has today, been recognised.'

The One World Media Awards recognise the achievements of media professionals in furthering our appreciation of international affairs. In particular, the awards honour those who have highlighted issues of global justice, social and economic development and human rights and who have done them in an engaging and challenging way.  www.owbt.org