The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and media stakeholders have called on journalists to demonstrate empathy and restraint when covering stories involving children, so as to avoid deepening the trauma experienced by affected minors and their families.
The appeal was made during a two-day workshop on ethical journalism and child rights reporting organised by UNICEF in Kano for media practitioners from Kano and Jigawa states.
Participants observed that the ongoing challenges across Northern Nigeria, especially in communities affected by conflict, demand more careful, accurate, and responsible media coverage of issues concerning children.
Speaking at the event, UNICEF Nutrition Manager Dr. Karanveer Singh, who also served as Chief of Field Office in Kano, described the training as essential for strengthening professionalism in coverage of children’s issues.
He warned journalists against revealing the identities of minors or publishing their photographs in delicate cases, including abduction or gender-based violence, noting that such actions could intensify trauma. Singh emphasised the importance of empathy in reporting, stressing that media coverage should not aggravate the suffering of affected children and their families.
Also speaking, Managing Director of Radio Kano, Comrade Abubakar Adamu Rano, represented by the station’s UNICEF Focal Person, Aishatu Usman, pointed to the strong influence media reports have on public opinion and policy formulation.
Usman noted that irresponsible reporting could expose children to stigma and harm, while ethical journalism would help protect their dignity and promote their rights. “As journalists, what we report, how we report it, and the words we use can influence people and even government decisions,” she said.
In her remarks, Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Lagos State chapter, Mrs. Jumoke Falayi, stressed the need to safeguard children, describing them as the future generation. Falayi warned that negative reporting involving children could have long-term consequences, including reputational damage.
Similarly, Director of Special Programmes at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, Dr. Jide Johnson, cautioned against sensational reporting on children, describing it as unethical and harmful to societal development. He urged journalists to prioritise the interests of minors, noting that they are vulnerable and require protection.
Columnist Mr. Lekan Sote of The Punch newspaper also emphasised the need to safeguard children in all reports, stressing that they should be treated as vulnerable individuals.
The training included UNICEF officials, such as Communication Specialist Samuel Kaalu, alongside resource persons from media and academic institutions. Participants are expected to gain the skills and ethical standards necessary for child-sensitive reporting in line with global best practices.
