“Is this life? Is this humanity?” pleads Armineh*, a young Afghan girl, in a heartbreaking open letter sent to SAT-7 PARS. Living under the Taliban, Armineh speaks of how “this is the end of all my dreams” and calls for the world to hear her voice.

Zahra M. an Iranian journalist and social activist who recently travelled to Afghanistan was interviewed live on SAT-7 PARS program Insiders to raise awareness of the current situation of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban. Zahra’s words and our viewer’s testimonies are a stark reminder of the rights and freedom of girls being severely restricted in the country while the world marks International Day of the Girl Child today, on 11 October.

Viewer engagement with SAT-7 ACADEMY doubled in March, as Middle Eastern children and parents accessed the education and support offered by the brand in large numbers. As lockdowns continue, there has been a particularly strong, emotive response to the children’s rights campaign produced by the gameshow Puzzle.

With families isolated at home across the Middle East due to Covid-19, children’s rights in the region are under intensified threat. At this crucial time, SAT-7 KIDS premieres music videos highlighting issues including mental health, child marriage, and violence, created by young people and beamed straight into viewers’ homes.

As today is Universal Children’s Day and the 30th anniversary of the Convention of the Rights of the Child, Christian broadcaster SAT-7 KIDS is championing for children. In a region where childhoods are often cut short, year-round the channel raises awareness of children’s rights among its young viewers, their parents, and wider society in the Middle East and North Africa.

Girls in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are too frequently denied their right to a childhood that is safe, healthy, and happy. As part of SAT-7’s work to equip the coming generation, our programs help girls and young women to know their rights.