US First Lady Melania Trump has announced a campaign to teach children the importance of social, emotional and physical health.

The "Be Best" initiative aims to promote healthy living, using social media in positive ways and combating opioid abuse, she said.

Mrs Trump said it was "our generation's moral imperative to take responsibility and help our children".

The first lady announced the initiative in the Rose Garden at the White House.

"As we all know, social media can be both positively and negatively affect our children, but too often it is used in negative ways," she said on Monday.

"When children learn positive online behaviours early on, social media can be used in productive ways and affect positive change."

Mrs Trump has indicated in the past that she planned to focus on cyberbullying and developing positive habits with social media.

As part of the initiative, she partnered with the Federal Trade Commission to release a booklet about social media and online safety.

In February, she called on adults to promote the values of "encouragement, kindness, compassion and respect" online.

But critics questioned whether her husband, President Donald Trump, followed her advice in his own online interactions.

The president has previously come under fire for using Twitter to launch personal attacks on people.

Critics say Mr Trump has also used social media to share inflammatory content.

She invited her husband, President Donald Trump, to the podium to sign a proclamation giving an official imprimatur to her campaign.

The first lady is not known for tactile public displays with her husband, but the couple walked back into the White House holding hands.

Their joint appearance follows a Washington Post report on a supposed rift between the first couple.

The article said that Mrs Trump has "erected a de facto wall between the East Wing, where she is renovating her office and enjoying growing popularity, and the West Wing, where her husband and Ivanka Trump, her eldest stepdaughter, have offices".

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders described the report on Monday as "outrageous and ridiculous".

Source:
courtesy of BBC NEWS

by BBC NEWS

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