UNICEF, FG Charge Journalists on Child Protection, Responsible Reporting

The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, in collaboration with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), has called on journalists across Nigeria to maintain the highest ethical standards when covering stories involving children.

The appeal came during a two-day regional workshop for journalists on ethical reporting of children in the North-East and North-Central zones, held in Gombe.

Delivering the welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Ogbodo Chinasa Nnam, emphasised that safeguarding children's dignity and well-being is fundamental to building a healthy society.

Nnam, represented by the Assistant Director of the Child Rights Information Bureau, Toye Falayi, stressed that ethical reporting requires protecting children's identities, avoiding sensationalism, and telling their stories with dignity and care.

He highlighted the media's enormous power to inform and inspire, but insisted this power must be exercised responsibly, particularly when reporting on children.

"Every image, word, or frame published could have lasting consequences on a child's life, safety, and future," Nnam warned.

Speaking on behalf of the UNICEF Country Representative, Celine Lafoucriere, communication specialist Sussan Akila said ethical reporting on children helps communities heal and advances the protection of children's rights.

Akila urged journalists to prioritise empathy and avoid publishing identifiable images or details of child victims, noting that such actions could result in stigma and long-term trauma. She stressed the media's crucial role in shaping public discourse and influencing societal responses to issues affecting children.

In his presentation, communication expert Geoffrey Njoku linked many of Nigeria's current challenges to the failure to adequately educate the country's large child population. He expressed concern over the rising number of out-of-school children, which currently stands at approximately 18.2 million.

Njoku called for strict and impartial implementation of laws protecting children's rights, warning that selective enforcement weakens governance.

Other workshop sessions examined the media's role in protecting children's rights and the responsibilities of print, electronic, and digital platforms in ethical reporting.