Journalists told to observe children rights, dignity while reporting

Clouds Media Group, Chief Editor Joyce Shebe said this during the Media and Civil Society Organization (CSO) roundtable meeting about Day of the African Child (DAC) that was organised by the Internews via virtual conference.

She said this year theme for the DAC 2021 was “30 years after the adoption of the Charter: accelerate the implementation of Agenda 2040 for an Africa fit for children”.

She said journalists must therefore observe regulations and Child Act that protect them when reporting issues related to abuse in the court or other legal entrusted boards.

Shebe said that when reporting, they must also ensure that the community was aware about children rights including education and protection and fight against all types of harassment and abuse.

“Media have a big role to shape the community by reporting children injustice in order to have future leaders who have abided by morals and ethics, ”she said.

For his part, the Assistant Director (Children development), Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Sebastian Kitiku said that media have not given priority children issues hence they are not reported until a child face abuse or harassment.

“A big number of newsrooms have special desks for sports, environment, women but children desks are yet to be established for unknown reasons,” he said.

He said the training of journalists on child reporting stories can have a positive impact on the media fraternity to reorganise and start establishing child desks to report issues related to child injustice.

Furthermore, the training should be a one stage ahead to the scribes to report more issues about child abuse and harassment occurring in different places of the country.

He said it was time for the journalists to publish or air programmes that can increase awareness about children's rights to curb ongoing harassment and abuse habits.

On the Day of the African Child we commemorate the young activists in Soweto in 1976 who paid the ultimate price for standing up to injustice and demanding basic rights. We commend their courage and reflect on the immense challenges that young people continue to face today.

Across Eastern and Southern Africa, youngest citizens are facing multiple threats, including the impacts of Covid-19, conflicts, and climate-impacted emergencies.

Children and youth are continuing brave efforts to help make the world a better place, from addressing injustice to taking climate action.