Akor Sylvester, Abuja
The United Nations Children’s Fund, (UNICEF) has called on Nigerian journalists to always protect the dignity, privacy and safety of children in their daily reports on children, warning that careless reporting could expose vulnerable children to stigma, discrimination and further trauma in the society..
UNICEF dropped the charge at a three-day Zonal Workshop on Ethical Reporting of Children, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in partnership with the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State, BCA.
In her keynote address titled, “Why Ethical Reporting of Children Matters in Nigeria,” the Chief Field Officer, Enugu Field Office, UNICEF, Juliet Chiluwe, said journalists were “not merely observers of society” but “shapers of society.”
She noted that the responsibility of journalists became even greater when reporting stories involving children, emphasising that a child featured in the media “is not simply a subject for a story.”
The Field Officer said: “That child is a person with dignity, rights, aspirations, and a future,”.
She warned that irresponsible reporting could cause lasting harm, stating that a careless headline could stigmatise a child, while an inappropriate photograph could expose a child to discrimination.
According to her: “An unnecessary disclosure of identity can follow a child for years.
“Ethical reporting must never be treated as an option or an extra add-on to good journalism,”.
Chiluwe charged journalists to consider the best interests of children before publishing stories involving them.
She further enjoined journalists to ask themselves: “Is it in the child’s best interest to tell the story in this way? Would this reporting expose the child to more risks? Does this story protect the child’s dignity?”
Speaking on digital journalism, Chiluwe stated that photographs and information published online could remain accessible indefinitely.
She said: “A photograph uploaded today can remain online indefinitely, while a child’s name can remain searchable for years,”.
Chiluwe further stressed the need for journalists to pay particular attention to consent, privacy, identity and digital safety when reporting children affected by violence, abuse, exploitation, displacement or legal proceedings.
She noted that: “The core principle must be simple: When in doubt, protect the child,”.
While welcoming participants, the Director-General of BCA, Francis Nwubani, represented by the Director, News and Current Affairs, Egbu Blessing, said the corporation remained committed to using the media to advance the rights, protection and well-being of children.
Nwubani said children were among the most vulnerable members of society and deserved protection of their dignity, privacy, safety and fundamental rights.
He described ethical reporting as both a professional requirement and a moral obligation.
According to him: “The way we report on a child who is a victim of violence, abuse, exploitation, conflict, displacement, poverty, or other forms of vulnerability can either contribute to the child’s protection and recovery or, inadvertently, deepen their trauma,”.
He urged journalists to consider the possible consequences of their reports before publication, asking: “Will this report harm or endanger the child? Does the story respect the child’s dignity and privacy? Are we reporting in the best interest of the child?”
On his part, the Assistant Director and Head of the Child Rights Information Bureau, Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Falayi Temitope, said the ethical framework for reporting children was anchored on the Child Rights Act and other relevant international conventions.
He enjoined journalists to identify and mitigate risks associated with reporting on children to ensure their safety, privacy and protection of dignity.
Temitope also called for responsible reporting of child abuse, exploitation, deprivation of healthcare and conflict.
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