Child Abuse: UNICEF urges journalists to prioritize children’s well-being

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has urged journalists to place the child’s well being at the centre of child right abuses reportage in tandem with best global practices. The UNICEF Communication Officer, Lagos Office, Mrs. Blessing Ejiofor, said at the opening of a 2-day “Media Workshop on Ethical Reporting on Children,” which ended on Thursday in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Ejiofor revealed that reportage given to incidents of child right abuses in the country, often times end up doing more harm to the victims.

According to her, the workshop, which was in collaboration with Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, was geared towards creating opportunities for informed and ethical reporting on children by familiarizing them with the principles and guidelines for reporting on children.

Dr. Rauf Goke, who took the participants on ethical journalism, added that the potential impacts of the news on the child and society at large must be considered. Rauf, who is also the Director of Communication Studies, Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology, Abeokuta, insisted that the media should strike a balance between protecting a child from harm and respecting their right to know.