By Julius Mugaga Tukacungurwa/ Umoja Standard.
Kampala, Uganda: While closing a half-day media dialogue organized by United Nations Association Uganda Richard Baguma, the Secretary General Of the Association appealed to journalists to actively engage in all relevant activities and foras aimed at taking Uganda as a country to another level.
He said this in relation to the impact media can create in fostering fundamental development through purposely and factual reporting.
“Express your desires on what should go forward and by this you’ll create a great impact to your country.” Said Baguma.
The dialogue aimed at discussing the five Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under review and a reflection on the contribution of media in realization of these goals. It should be noted that the Office of the Prime Minister being the Implementer of SGDs, took a proposal of prioritizing five SDGs each year for review in a bid to realize all the 17 SDGs by 2030.
Where as During the dialogue, Onesmus Kansiime an official from OPM-SDGs Secretariat cited a need to create a media department within the secretariat that will help to effectively drive the agenda of SDGs implementation through publications and broadcasting.
However, he believed that in a bid to effectively execute this, Journalists need to focus on related reporting even past SDGs period, ensure they have data, evidence, provide solutions and realize agenda reporting. “Their reporting should be able to uproot corruption, hold those in power to account, encourage democratic participation but they should do this with fairness and impartiality.”Onesmus cited.
Onesmus also emphasized localization of media reporting believing that this will be the only way their stories will be engaging and leaving no one behind as the agenda for SGDs states.
To Michael Wangusa, the Communications Specialist in the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator for Uganda asked members of the media would interest themselves in the most critical issues of our nation for example the budgetary allocation as it means a lot in the development of this country and SDGs implementation.
*It should be remembered that Ugandan government made a shift from ministerial budgetary allocation to programme based allocation*
“I would like to see a journalist in a issue like, why is there more appropriation of funds on government officials special meals than that of all Regional Referral hospitals combined, just an example.” Wangusa stated.
The five SDGs of focus this year include;
Goal 1, No Poverty, End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Goal 2, End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
Goal 13, Climate Action, Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Goal 16, Peace Justice and Strong institutions, Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Goal 17, Partnerships for the Goals, Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.
The dialogue among other things climaxed with both parties (Organizers and the journalists) buying intoi an idea of holding each others hand in realization of success of the 5 SDGs under review for this year as well the entire 17 SDGs by 2030 and beyond.