The role of the mass media and their impact on children and young people was under scrutiny during the debate in Parliament last week on a Bill for the appointment of a Commissioner for Children.

Recent studies have revealed that the mass media have emerged as significant forces in the lives of children. The media definitely contribute to most of young people's actions and decisions.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, children have the right of access to information and material from a diversity of national and international sources especially those aimed at the 'promotion of his or her social, spiritual and moral well-being and physical and mental health'

The bill has been widely discussed from many aspects, however no mention at all has been made of the need to empower young people in their use of the media. As already suggested, NGOs will be invited to discuss the relevant Bill with members of the House Committee.

NCW believes that this important legislation is the foundation for the Children Act and therefore it is vital that the Bill (now in its committee stage) draws up policies giving the Children's Commissioner legal backing to ensure that our children and young people are provided with media education that aims to help them be discriminating and critical listeners, viewers and readers of the mass media.

In a democratic society, children should be provided with skills to empower them to make free choices when they come into contact with the mass media. Now that the study of the National Minimum Curriculum is to be resumed, we must ensure that media education finds its place on the timetable in both primary and secondary schools.

In the meantime, NCW held a meeting on Thursday at its Centre in Blata l-Bajda for all interested educators and individuals to make proposals to address this issue, which has been shelved for so many years!