Putting Children

in the Right

Building Capacity for Belizean Journalists

Normative guidelines

Nov. 22, 2011

Holly Edgell

UNICEF Belize & The University of the West Indies Open Campus, Belize

Journalists & Children

Study by Dr. Magda Michielsens of the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands (1995)

“In words and pictures children can often become cyphers, representing youth, hope, joy, misery or despair, but not properly existing as individual people in their own right.”

What do you think?

Photographer Nick Ut took this picture of Kim Phuc, age 9. She was fleeing herVietnamese village after a naplam attack. (1972)

(See p. 51 in “Gudelines”)

Naming names ASK yourself

What harm might be caused?

e.g. a feature story about the top CXC performer vs. the child victim of a crime

Clause 5 of the IFJ Guidelines

“guard against visually or otherwise identifying children unless it is demonstrably in the public interest.”

FOR MORE see page 45 in “Guidelines”

Interviewing

Ask, is it necessary to interview a child for this story?

Even if I CAN (e.g. permission is granted) SHOULD I?

“How can an interview be carried out effectively while still respecting the rights of the child?”

For more see p. 57 of “Guidelines”

Interviewing

UNICEF Style Book

Annex VII

1) Do no harm to any child

2) Do not discriminate is choosing children to interview

3) No staging

4) Ensure children and guardians know they are talking with a reporter

Interviewing

UNICEF Style Book

Annex VII

5) Obtain permission from the child and his/her guardian

6) Pay attention to WHERE and HOW the child is interviewed

Interviewing

Permission and presence of guardian

Ensure the child is relaxed and comfortable

Address question to the child, not the adult

Adopt a calm, friendly tone.

Clear, straightforward language for questions

Repeat questions as necessary

Sit or stand at the same level as the child

Do not “talk down” to the child

Interviewing

Eye contact may not always be the best idea

Ask factual questions rather than how a child feels

Seek corroboration

Carefully select interpreters

Photography & Video

Practicalities (see page 32 “Telling their Stories”

Journalistic purpose

Issues for Consideration

Exploring Alternatives

Checklist

Consulting with Children

Toolkit from Save the Children

Consulting with children important because:

It improves the relevance and appropriateness of public and organisational decision-making on children’s issues

It brings particular benefits to the poorest and most marginalised groups of children

It acknowledges a shift in the view of children as ‘beneficiaries’ of adult interventions towards respect for them as ‘rights holders’

It is the main means by which children can be more actively included in their society as active and responsible citizens

Consulting with Children

Toolkit from Save the Children

It increases the visibility of children’s issues and helps to improve the accountability of adult institutions for what happens to children.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child affirms children’s right to express their views freely in all matters that affect them. The Convention also enhances children’s participation through the recognition of children’s right to seek and receive appropriate information; freedom of expression; freedom of thought, conscience and religion; and the right to form and join associations.

Consulting with Children

What’s in it for a journalist?

Consulting with children

Checklist (Toolkit from Save the Children)

Objectives and learning needs

Participants

Planning and logistics

Facilitation

Language

Evaluation