By Louvier Kindo Tombe
Some 30 members from the network of journalists for the promotion of the right of the child and other vulnerable people (REJODEC) attended the workshop on June 3rd 2022 at the Djeuga Palace Hotel in Yaounde.
Emphasis during the workshop was on the mastery of the rights of the child as well as ethics and deontology of the profession.
The different experts encouraged the media not only to master the rights of the child, but to always report without undermining them.
“We have learned a lot from this workshop and I believe it is going to change the narrative in our respective newsrooms”, Amos Muang Nsah, participant at the workshop recounted.
The media men and women were told that the specificity of the rights of the child is that the child should/must be protected at all cost no matter what.
Principles of Ethical Reporting
The media is a tool that can be used to promote or damage the right of the child. Media practitioners must therefore be vigilant and careful when reporting on issues related to children and other vulnerable population.
Experts advice that the identify of a child should not be disclosed during media reporting (Images, interviews and name of the child). The superior interest of the child should equally be considered.
Training Opportunities for the Media
Participants at the workshop to school the media on proper reporting technics about child related stories acknowledged the need to further upgrade the capacities of journalists through specific training sessions.
For that to be successful and to help the organizers achieve the goal, the participants during group sessions identified some training topics that will complete knowledge on mastery of the rights of the child, ethics and deontology of the profession.
