The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, on Monday commenced a two-day training workshop for journalists from the North-Central and North-East regions on the ethics of child reporting.
Declaring the workshop open in Gombe, Mr. Toye Falayi, Assistant Director of the Child Rights Bureau in the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, said the training aimed to improve child protection through responsible and ethical reportage.
Falayi urged participants to pay full attention and actively engage in the sessions to achieve the workshop’s objectives.
“I want to commend UNICEF for this very important collaboration aimed at protecting the rights of children through responsible reportage of their issues,” he said.
In his presentation titled “Privacy, Dignity and Protection of Identity: Consent and Parental Approval,” Dr. Geoffrey Njoku, one of the facilitators, emphasised that journalists must avoid sensationalism when covering children’s issues.
Njoku charged journalists to prioritise children’s safety in all situations to prevent causing them trauma.
Dr. Jide Johnson, another facilitator, who spoke on “Media as Protector or Violator,” stressed that the media has a responsibility to protect children in their reports.
Johnson urged journalists to handle interviews and stories involving children with utmost care to avoid damaging their reputation or well-being.
Mr. Nansel Nimyel, a veteran broadcaster and facilitator, addressed the topic “Responsibilities of Print and Electronic Media.” He warned journalists against exposing the identities and locations of children, as this could endanger them or lead to stigmatisation.
Nimyel charged journalists to be responsible and ethical in their reporting, cautioning that irresponsible coverage could have dire and long-lasting negative social consequences for affected children.
The workshop is part of ongoing efforts by UNICEF and the Federal Government to build journalists’ capacity in child-sensitive reporting, ensuring that media coverage upholds children’s rights, dignity, and protection while contributing to stronger child welfare outcomes across Nigeria.
