Legal Practitioner Cautions Journalists to Prioritize Well-being of Abused Children in News Reports

A private legal practitioner, Edith Kartey, has cautioned journalists to prioritize the welfare and well-being of abused children when reporting on their experiences, ensuring that their safety and dignity are protected at all times.

Speaking at a day training workshop for some selected journalists on ethical reporting on children on Tuesday, 26th March, Edith Kartey expressed concerns about how some media reports downplay the trauma and pain of abused children, a situation that affects their healing.

“If you are reporting a child’s case, like the castle killing for instance, they post a child’s picture attached to their story. It’s wrong. Totally wrong. You don’t do that. You can report the cases, all right, but they’re often visible.

“Some people can just let it slide, but some who have money don’t sue you. Then we have to engage the CSOs to amplify their messages and engage in advocacy efforts.

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She emphasized the need for journalists to prioritize media literacy to enhance responsive reporting.

“We have to promote media literacy, which means that, like this workshop for instance, we have to do more of this. It’s no more. You know, there are better things to do for a child.” She said

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There have been concerns about how journalists, in an attempt to expose injustice against children, end up exposing them to further abuse.

This has called for an urgent plea to media practitioners to ensure the reports of these abused children always uphold their welfare, especially in situations of abuse.

The training was also to sharpen the skills of the journalists and to appreciate best practices for ethical reporting on issues about children.

The role of child advocacy, protection, and improving skills in sensitive reporting were highlighted in the presentations.

A leading public relations company, Statements Limited, in collaboration with Trailblazers, a women and children-focused NGO, is the organizer of the training. They seek to change the negative narrative of abused children in the media space, in view of their vulnerabilities.