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The European Union delegations on Thursday handed over control of their social media accounts to Plan International Bangladesh child rights activists.

To celebrate the launch of the revised EU Guidelines on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child, the European External Action Service is partnering with Plan International to organise a global youth takeover of EU Delegation social media accounts.

Throughout April, young people across Africa, Asia and the Americas will share their views on the challenges children in their country face, and what more needs to be done to ensure every childs rights are realized, directly from the Twitter and Facebook accounts of participating EU Delegations.

In Bangladesh, the Youth Takeover has taken place on 20 April 2017, from 10:00 am onwards.

The revised guidelines set the EUs overarching strategy to defend and promote childrens rights in the world. They set out the actions that EU officials should take, and outline the principles underpinning EU action, the priorities for EU engagement and the tools which can be used.

The total population of Bangladesh consists of 50% of youth of which 40% are children.

"Through this social media takeover, we got the opportunity to hear the viewpoints of two young Bangladeshis on child marriage," said ambassador Pierre Mayaudon, the European Union head of delegation.

He said they also discussed impediments that school-going girls face in this country. "I am happy to learn that today they conducted live sessions on our Facebook to generate opinion and awareness about issues affecting girls in Bangladesh. We hope all those who have consulted our Facebook today will find in their remarks a source of inspiration".

Country Director, Plan International Bangladesh Orla Murphy said the Plan International is fully committed to promoting the realisation of all children's rights, so that every child is able to learn, lead, decide and thrive.

In Bangladesh, 26 million children live below the national poverty line, while 52 percent of girls are married before the age of 18 - one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world, according to the Plan International Bangladesh.

The total population of Bangladesh consists of 50 percent of youth of which 40 percent are children.

"I believe it's important that children and young people's voice and views are heard," said Jahir Rayan, a participant of the initiative.

EU's technique in promoting children's right by mean of Youth Takeover via social media is very innovative and will definitely be impactful among the youth, said Renaissance, another participant of the initiative.

Throughout April, young people across Africa, Asia and the Americas will share their views on the challenges children in their country face, and what more needs to be done to ensure every child's rights are realized, directly from the Twitter and Facebook accounts of participating EU Delegations.

The EU Guidelines for the Rights of the Child (2017) aim at promoting and protecting equally all the rights that children, especially the most marginalized children have in order to ensure that no child is left behind.

Read more from the original source:
EU hands over social media control to child rights activists - Prothom Alo (English)

By Al Cross

Gov. Matt Bevins communications director said Wednesday evening that We dont really find a ton of value in general press conferences because the governor travels the state extensively and is interviewed by the newspapers that want to cover the great things that are happening. And she refused to answer a question about Bevins lack of response to news media he doesnt like.

Speaking on a panel arranged by the University of Kentucky public relations office, Amanda Stamper said social media allow the governors office to take our messages directly to the audiences we are trying to talk to, being able to break our own news, being able to control the message without having to go through the different filters that the media puts on things. Later, speaking of social media platforms such as Facebook Live, she said, There is a transparency about that.

Stamper said news stories about the governor that drive clicks on newspaper websites arent necessarily the things we think ought to be covered We dont necessarily worry about that. Later, she noted that the Kentucky Civic Health index shows that less than half of Kentuckians trust the news media, down 13 percent from the previous survey three years ago. She said the reach of Facebook videos can exceed the circulation of The Courier-Journal and the Lexington Herald-Leader in two hours.

Jay Blanton, UKs executive director of public relations, said traditional media are still important but are now just one of many platforms for public relations professionals. He said UKs social media audience is 530,000.

When moderator Carl Nathe of UK PR announced that the hour was up and panelists could answer audience members questions one-on-one, and the panelists began to rise, I rose from my front-row seat, walked toward Carl and asked, Carl, how come no questions from the audience for the public? I mean, Ive got a question Id like to address to members of the panel. He said We can make an exception, and handed me the microphone. Heres what I said:

As some of you probably know I wrote a column recently which questioned the governors lack of press conferences and his apparent policy of not responding to media outlets that he does not favor. And I can understand, Amanda, your wish to have things covered that you want covered, but you and the governor are public employees, and the media outlets that youre not responding to have a significant circulation. I think Lisa [Deffendall of Fayette County Public Schools] at one point said you want to get your message out to people in the form that theyd like to receive [it]. There are a lot of people who read The Courier-Journal, the Herald-Leader, the Community Newspaper Holdings newspapers, who would like to hear a response from the governors office. And yet you wont even show those reporters the courtesy of responding to their inquiries. Why?

Stamper replied, So, we are here tonight to talk to the students and answer their questions, so I will, um, take the chance to not answer that question.

I replied, I find that completely offensive for a person in a public position.

I hope editors and reporters in all corners of the state will regard Stampers remarks about message control and supposed transparency as an insult to the intelligence of Kentuckians and the need for accountability in a representative democracy, and think about some accountability questions to ask the governor the next time he comes to your town.

About theAuthor:Al Cross, aformer CJ political writer, is director of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues and associate professor in the University of KentuckySchool of Journalism and Media. His opinions are his own, not UKs.

Editors Note:Since early December 2016, Bevin spokespersons Amanda Stamper and Woody Maglinger have not responded to multiple voicemails and 37 emails from IL seeking information for stories.

Excerpt from:
Guest Commentary: Governor shuns media traditions, filters; uses social media for message control - Insider Louisville

XDA Developers (blog)

How to Add Media Playback Controls to the Nav Bar when Playing Music XDA Developers (blog) Hence, a new avenue of rootless customization has opened up for many users, and today we'll be guiding you through one popular request: how to add media playback controls to the nav bar when playing music (Android 7.0+, no root needed!)

Link:
How to Add Media Playback Controls to the Nav Bar when Playing Music - XDA Developers (blog)

A Surrey-headquartered pest control company with more than 1,200 staff and a West Sussex group which claims to be the largest seller of used books in Europe are among this year's winners of the Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2017.

Across the UK, a total of 176 companies have been recognised for their contribution to international trade, innovation and sustainable development. This year marks the 51st anniversary for the Queen' Awards scheme, which was launched in 1966.

The winning businesses will be able to use the Queen's Awards emblem for the next five years.

In the South East, Rentokil Pest Control has been awarded in the international trade category for 'outstanding continuous growth' in overseas sales over the last six years. Part of Rentokil Initial plc, the company has overseas operations across North America, Asia, Europe and the Pacific.

Another winner is A World of Buzz Ltd, a group backed by private equity firm Bridges Ventures which consists of three companies including World of Books, which has grown to become Europe's largest seller of used books. The group has won the Queen's Award for International Trade for outstanding short term growth.

In the innovation category, Oxfordshire-based Owen Mumford was recognised for its development in injection pen needles and Hove-based SwimTrek for its pioneering development in providing open water swimming opportunities as the worlds first swimming holiday operator.

UKCloud, based in Farnborough, was also given an Innovation Award for developing a cloud platform specifically designed to meet all requirements of UK public sector organisations.

Click here for the full list of winners from the South East.

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Global pest control group wins Queen's Award - Insider Media

NEW DELHI: The government has revoked the registration of Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), an NGO funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, under the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act over alleged misuse of foreign funds for anti-tobacco lobbying, in violation of FCRA norms.

The home ministry's revocation of renewal of PHFI's FCRA licence has rendered it ineligible to receive any funding from abroad. A source said the main FCRA violation charge against the NGO, which has also worked in partnership with the ministry of health and family welfare, is that it had used foreign funds totalling Rs 43 crore to lobby with parliamentarians, media and government on tobacco control issues, which is not one of the five permitted activities under FCRA.

The five permitted activities for which NGOs can receive foreign contributions include social, cultural, religious, educational and economic. PHFI was registered under FCRA under the head "social and educational".

According to a home ministry official, PHFI received around Rs 43 crore for tobacco lobbying, which it misrepresented as 'research grants' in its FCRA returns. The officer added that an NGO was not permitted to lobby for tobacco control, which could only be done by an entity as a public relations company that must pay due taxes.

"Anti-tobacco lobbying is a valid and perfectly legal activity but not through zero-tax NGOs," the officer told TOI.

See more here:
MHA says PHFI violated law by lobbying MPs, media on tobacco control - Times of India