Media sensitisation workshop held in city

Media sensitisation workshop held in city

PUNE: Empathy and sensitivity are the two major things a journalist should hold on to while reporting cases pertaining to child rights and abuse, said Dr Naina Athalya, a Child Protection Specialist.

She was speaking at a media sensitisation workshop, organised by NGO Save the Children, in collaboration with the Pune Union of Working Journalists, New Vision and ARC (Action for the Rights of the Child) on Tuesday. The workshop was an attempt to guide the journalists on reporting children’s issues.

Rupali Goswami, Advocacy, Campaign and Communication Coordinator at Save the Children, also mentioned that the organisation is presently working with the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) to make a draft of guidelines for media to cover the issues involving children and their rights.

Athalya said that it is important that the journalists are well-versed with Acts like Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) and Juvenile Justice (JJ) Acts so that they can cover and reflect the cases sensibly.

“All children have four basic rights. Survival, Protection, Development and Participation. Whatever we do as journalists should be in the best interest of the children. And it should not be forgotten that the children’s participation is a must. Their opinion must be included,” she stated.

She also said that the continuous follow up of these issues by the media might help a lot of children to open up and disclose the abuse that they have faced.

“Journalists must be a bridge between the survivor and the civil society. Before POCSO, there were no provisions in the law to address the children who were survivors of sexual abuse. This Act has started looking at all the nuances, and all the small things that constitute sexual abuse,” Athalya said.

“A journalist should follow a strict code of conduct while talking to the children who have faced sexual abuse. They should try to be friendly with a pleasant smile on their face, but not be over-friendly and try to hug the child. They should not probe too deep into the incident and only ask relevant and most necessary details. Listening to what the child is saying is a very important and crucial part of the process,” she added.

SOME GUIDELINES FOR THE JOURNALISTS
- Respect the dignity and rights of every child in all circumstances.
- Do not ask children to tell a story or take an action that is not part of their own history.
- Ensure that the child or guardian knows that they are talking to a reporter.
- Always change the name and obscure the visual identity of the child. Provide accurate context to the child’s story.
- Do not discriminate in choosing the children to interview based on their sex, race, age, status, educational background, physical abilities, etc.

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