The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has urged journalists to make the safety, dignity, privacy and best interests of children central to their reportage, warning against coverage that could expose vulnerable children to further harm, stigma and exploitation.

The call was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a two-day national workshop on ethical reporting of children organised by the Child Rights Information Bureau (CRIB) in collaboration with UNICEF in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The workshop, held from August 19 to 20, brought together 40 journalists from print, broadcast and online media across the North Central, South East and South South geopolitical zones.

Participants deliberated on the ethical, legal and professional responsibilities of journalists reporting issues affecting children and resolved that the best interests of the child must remain central to every report.

They urged journalists to report allegations accurately without presenting them as established facts, advising practitioners to use terms such as “alleged” or “accused” until guilt is established by a competent court.

The journalists also cautioned against publishing graphic, sensational or unnecessary details that could further expose children to harm, stigma, discrimination or exploitation.

They called on reporters to prioritise the protection, medical care, psychological well-being and access to justice of children involved in news reports, while avoiding interviews or approaches that could cause further trauma or re-traumatisation.

Participants further urged journalists to seek information from appropriate authorities, including the police and recognised child-protection agencies, and to focus public attention on child protection, institutional response and accountability rather than unnecessary details of alleged abuse.

They also resolved that journalists should disclose any personal relationship or conflict of interest to their editors and, where necessary, allow another journalist to handle the story.

The workshop recommended that media organisations establish dedicated Child Rights Desks in their newsrooms to ensure sustained attention to issues affecting children and promote specialised reporting on child rights.

Participants also called for responsible blogging and online journalism platforms to maintain the same ethical, legal and professional standards expected of mainstream media when reporting children’s issues.

The training featured technical sessions on child rights and the role of the media, ethical principles in reporting children’s issues, balancing public interest with child protection, trauma-informed journalism, storytelling that protects and empowers, and the legal and institutional framework for child protection in Nigeria.

In their recommendations, participants called for the strengthening and sustenance of the partnership between UNICEF and the Nigerian Guild of Editors to improve the capacity of newsrooms to consistently and responsibly report issues affecting children.

They also urged UNICEF to broaden its engagement to media owners, publishers and senior management of media organisations, including the Newspapers Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria and the National Broadcasting Organisation, to institutionalise child-sensitive reporting policies.

The participants further recommended regular training and capacity building for journalists, editors and other media professionals on child rights, trauma-informed journalism, digital safety, privacy and the legal framework governing the reporting of children.

They expressed appreciation to UNICEF for funding and sponsoring the training, as well as the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation and CRIB for supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening ethical and responsible reporting of children.

The journalists reaffirmed their commitment to journalism that amplifies children’s voices and draws attention to violations of their rights without making news coverage a source of further harm.

The communiqué stressed that journalists must uphold the dignity, privacy, safety and best interests of every child throughout the processes of news gathering, production and publication.