UNICEF trains Myanmar journalists on Child Rights, reportingGroup drafts ethics code with guidelines for reporting on children Yangon, 01 July 2005 – Today UNICEF concluded a two-week training course for 24 Myanmar journalists on international-standard reporting skills, child-focused reporting and media ethics. Participating journalists learned about the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as pressing issues such as HIV/AIDS – areas where reporters working inside of Myanmar can still make a difference in the lives of the country’s children and their families. The group of reporters concluded the training by drafting a comprehensive code of journalists’ ethics, which includes a series of guidelines for reporting on children – a first for Myanmar. Most of the journalists are in their teens or early twenties. “This training is important because it gives young reporters in Myanmar an opportunity to learn more about children’s rights, ethics, and how they can give a greater voice to children and young people in their country,” said UNICEF Representative in Myanmar Carroll Long. Since many journalists in Myanmar only have limited opportunities to receive international-standard instruction, UNICEF began providing training opportunities for reporters in 2004. Thanks to financial support from the Swedish National Committee for UNICEF, UNICEF is sponsoring a series of trainings for Myanmar journalists this year. “Training is particularly important for young journalists in Myanmar because it can increase their ability to help the country’s families learn about measures that they themselves can take to enhance their children’s health and wellbeing,” said Ms. Long. In addition to training professional journalists, UNICEF will train a team of teenage ‘youth journalists’ this year, and sponsor their placement with select private publications to give children and young people a greater voice in Myanmar language media.
*************** The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) establishes that children have the right to express their views and receive information on important matters. Myanmar ratified the CRC in 1991. *************** For further information please contact: Jason Rush, Communication Officer, UNICEF in Myanmar
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