A headline can inform the public—or expose a vulnerable child to another layer of harm. UNICEF is urging Nigerian journalists to choose carefully.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on media professionals to make children’s safety, dignity, privacy and best interests central to their reporting, warning that careless identification, intrusive interviews, photographs and sensational headlines can deepen the harm experienced by vulnerable children.
The Chief of the UNICEF Enugu Field Office, Juliet Chiluwe, made the call on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during a two-day zonal workshop on ethical reporting of children.
The programme was organised by the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State (BCA) in partnership with the UNICEF Enugu Field Office.
A child is more than a news story
Chiluwe described journalists as “shapers of society”, noting that the subjects they choose, questions they ask, images they publish and voices they amplify can significantly influence how the public understands children’s issues.
You might want to read this: Nigeria Must Not Mistake Fortified Seasoning Cubes for a Maternal Health Solution
She urged journalists to remember that a child appearing in a newspaper, television report, radio programme, website or social media post is not merely a source of content.
The child is a person with rights, dignity, aspirations and a future.
According to Chiluwe, responsible journalism requires more than deciding whether an incident is newsworthy.
Journalists should also ask whether the way a story is reported serves the child’s best interests.
Before publishing, she urged media professionals to consider whether their reporting could:
- Expose a child to further danger
- Reveal sensitive personal information
- Compromise the child’s dignity or privacy
- Intensify existing trauma
- Increase the risk of stigma, exploitation or abuse
Her guiding principle was straightforward: when there is doubt, protect the child.
The internet has changed the stakes
Chiluwe said the digital environment has made ethical reporting even more important.
A photograph, name, video or recording published online can remain accessible indefinitely and spread across borders within minutes.
That means a disclosure that might once have reached a limited local audience can now follow a child for years.
Children affected by violence, abuse, displacement, conflict, exploitation, disability and legal proceedings, she noted, require particular care.
But ethical reporting does not mean avoiding difficult stories.
Responsible journalism can expose wrongdoing, bring neglected issues into public view, influence policy, hold institutions accountable and help communities identify solutions.
The challenge is to tell the story without sacrificing the child.
Ethical reporting is a moral duty
In his welcome address, BCA Director-General Apostle Francis Nwubani, represented by the Director of News and Current Affairs, Blessing Egbu, described child-sensitive reporting as both a professional responsibility and a moral obligation.
He warned that sensational coverage, unnecessary identification, intrusive questioning and stigmatising language could compound the experiences of children already facing difficult circumstances.
The workshop brought together journalists, editors and state correspondents from Abia, Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Rivers, Cross River, Benue and Delta states.
Nwubani encouraged participants to make four questions part of their newsroom routine:
Does this report protect the child? Does it respect the child’s privacy and dignity? Does it give the child a voice without increasing the risk of harm? And is the report genuinely in the child’s best interest?
Cover the problem, not the vulnerable child
Speaking on ethical principles in reporting children’s issues, Dr Geoffrey Njoku highlighted cases involving early marriage, female genital mutilation, sexual violence, trafficking, child prostitution, child labour, conflict, discrimination, refugee crises and displacement as areas requiring particular sensitivity.
He cautioned against sensational coverage that could expose children to additional abuse or stigma.
Njoku described journalists as agents of social change and urged them to use their influence to strengthen public understanding and protection of children’s rights.
Public interest has limits
Dr Jide Johnson, who addressed the theme “Media as Protector or Violator: Foundation of Child Rights,” said protecting children’s rights is a shared responsibility involving government, parents and society.
He also stressed the importance of education, describing investment in children’s education as an investment in the country’s future.
Meanwhile, Lanre Idowu, speaking on balancing public interest with child protection, offered a particularly important distinction:
Tell the story of the social problem—not necessarily the vulnerable child caught inside it.
Journalists, he said, should provide truthful and meaningful context while protecting children’s identities, dignity and safety.
Public interest, he stressed, does not erase a child’s rights.
The newsroom test
The workshop leaves journalists with a principle that can be applied to virtually every story involving children:
Before publishing, ask whether the report informs the public without placing the child at greater risk.
If the child’s identity is not essential to understanding the issue, protecting it may be the more responsible journalistic choice.
The participants are expected to apply the principles discussed during the workshop to their newsroom practices, with UNICEF certificates scheduled for presentation at the conclusion of the programme.