Group wants training of journalists on child protection reportage
Group wants training of journalists on child protection reportage
The National Coalition of Civil Society to End Child Marriage in Nigeria, an NGO, has reiterated the need for specialised training for journalists on child protection, laws.
Its Co-Chairman, Mr Kolawole Olatosimi, made the call on Thursday at a two-day media workshop for journalists and communication officers of various organisations in Abuja.
The theme of the workshop was, “Tackling the Scourge of Child Marriage: The Role of Media in Advocacy and Change”.
Olatosimi said that such a training should also include ethical consideration and best practices for reporting sensitive issues.
He said that the training would ensure that journalists were well informed on the matter and also have skills on how to report.
“Journalists can build trust by working closely with child protection experts, social workers and NGOs.
“These partnerships can provide valuable insights and resources which will help the reports to be both accurate and respectful,” he said.
Olatosimi called on journalists to interact more with communities and listen to them in order to build trust.
He said that there was need for journalists to be more sensitive to cultural context and have ease in discussing with community leaders about presentation of their stories.
He said that bias reporting could contribute to the spread of misinformation, where certain facts are highlighted or ommitted to support a particular agenda.
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According to him, bias reporting can mislead the public resulting in misguided opinions and actions.
“It can influence decisions in areas like law enforcement, healthcare, and education, leading to unequal treatment and outcomes for different groups.
“This can perpetuate systemic inequalities and injustice,” Olatosimi said.
He said that building trust in reporting child protection issues by journalists was crucial to ensuring accurate, sensitive and impactful coverage that would contribute to changing narratives.
The Convener of the Programme, Mr Henry Pannan, said that the media played a significant role in advocacy and awareness on issues of child marriage.
Pannan called on governments at all levels to ensure enforcement of laws and policies.
