Rights sensitive media
Millions of children are in danger of being orphaned or infected by HIV and AIDS, abused by adults, sexually exploited and made vulnerable through natural disasters and situations of conflict. The media can help children become aware of what is happening in their communities and their world. But the media needs to do this in a form that children can easily access and understand. They can report on ways to safeguard children and alert the public and community to the violations of children’s rights by sourcing the opinions of children and adult members of the community. The media can also celebrate the positive action taken by children, families and communities. In this way the media will be playing a part in promoting a safe and accountable community at local level. Children need to understand how to avoid risky situations and where to go for help and protection. With support from the media, children can take action to change the world around them. By providing children and marginalised communities in South Africa with a platform to speak out, the media is also promoting and strengthening participatory democracy. In South Africa the debate on the role of the media and media programming in the public interest rages on. Central to this debate are issues linked to media diversity, ownership and the fact that while freedom of expression and access to information are clauses entrenched in the constitution it is the poor and the most vulnerable who still struggle to access communication and information resources, let alone have ownership over these resources. However, the Media Diversity Act is a welcome addition to the regulatory environment and attempts to provide media access and strengthen freedom of expression to historically disadvantaged communities. In addition, some media in general and individual journalists and media managers in particular are making valiant attempts to go beyond the mainstream and report and program from a genuine human rights and development perspective. In South Africa this makes it increasingly possible to partner with media and media institutions in mutually beneficial ways.
In April 2002 a workshop facilitated by UNICEF and the Media Monitoring Project was held on the reporting of child abuse. One of the outcomes of the workshop was the development of a handbook “All sides of the story: reporting on children: a Journalist’s Handbook”, written by a leading national newspaper journalist that serves as a guide for journalists on ethics and offers ideas for stories. The handbook provides clear practical ideas for journalists as well as information relating to the law. Children’s participation is a key component stressed throughout the handbook. It has been endorsed by the South African National Editors Forum (SANEF) the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) as well as the Public Prosecutions Authority. The guide is distributed in newsrooms and through media workshops. This is part of the larger initiative to advocate with and sensitize journalists to a human and child rights centred approach to reporting.
Make a donation All sides of the story This handbook aims to promote a human rights-based approach to reporting on children. It provides a solid ethical framework for balancing some of the most complex ethical problems any media worker is likely to face.
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