Accra: Assistant Commissioner of Police Owusua Kyeremeh, Director of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, has urged journalists to prioritize children's rights when reporting cases involving minors. She emphasized the need to protect children from further victimization, ridicule, and trauma.
According to Ghana News Agency, ACP Kyeremeh expressed concerns at a training workshop for journalists on 'Best Practices for Ethical Reporting on Children in Vulnerable Situations, including Consent and Confidentiality.' She highlighted issues with exposing children in publications without proper consent, context, or protection, which could worsen their situation and even lead to dropping out of school. She stated that journalists often infringe on children's rights due to a lack of awareness or disregard for these rights.
The training, organized by Statements Limited in partnership with Trailblazers, aimed to enhance journalists' skills to enable accurate, sensitive, and aware reporting. ACP Kyeremeh urged journalists to use letters instead of publishing children's names, hide their identities, and prioritize children's interests over selling news. She emphasized the importance of considering the child's interest in all reports involving minors.
ACP Kyeremeh also encouraged journalists to familiarize themselves with laws on children's rights, including the Children's Act, the DOVVSU Act, and the Juvenile Justice Act. She referenced Section 3(2) of the Juvenile Justice Act, which prohibits releasing information that may lead to the identification of juveniles during legal proceedings.
Mr. Daniel Coffie, a Programmes Officer at the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, urged journalists to avoid repeatedly asking abused children to recount their trauma, as it could worsen their emotional distress. He stressed the importance of avoiding sensationalism in reporting and focusing on care and protection instead. Mr. Coffie also called for efforts to raise awareness against settling rape and defilement cases out of court, as such actions undermine justice.
Madam Edith Vanessa Khartey, a lawyer, advised journalists to conduct thorough investigations into abuse allegations before publishing stories, noting that some children might be coerced into making false accusations. She advocated for collaboration between the media and civil society to amplify messages on vulnerable children and hold perpetrators accountable.
Mr. Michael Mawugbe, Executive Secretary to the President of the Ghana Journalists Association, emphasized professionalism and ethics in media work. He advised journalists to focus on broader issues affecting children rather than their personal stories, stating, "Focus on the issue, not the child."
