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29 March 2024

SBFO brings experts to map out media strategy for childhood issues

Published
By WAM

SBFO brings journalists and child rights experts to map out media strategy for childhood issues.

A workshop on promoting media protection for children got underway, on Tuesday, to map out a framework for an ethical strategy for Arab media professionals to adopt when handling child rights issues.

Organised by the Sharjah Baby Friendly Office (SBFO), ‘Professional Principles for Arab Media in Handling Child Rights Issues’, is a two-day workshop being conducted in partnership with the Arab Council for Childhood and Development (ACCD) and the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND).

Held in collaboration with Sharjah Media Corporation and the Gulf Area Office of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the workshop is being attended by media professionals, officials from child care organisations and experts in child rights issues.

In her opening address, Dr. Hessa Khalfan Al Ghazal, Executive Director of SBFO, said: "It is imperative for Arab media to enable a supportive environment for children by reflecting their appropriate image in society, respecting them and maintain their dignity and rights in all news coverage."

Al Ghazal outlined that the workshop is in line with Sharjah’s dedicated efforts to ensure the provision of the best standards of care for children, saying: "The emirate strives to firmly establish professional principles in media coverage of childhood issues, and makes it mandatory for the media to adopt policies that will develop a child-friendly media environment."

The need for ethical journalism, especially in handling childhood issues, was highlighted by Al Ghazal. She stressed on the need to not trample over children’s rights in the pursuit to ensure the right of the public to have access to information. "With a single word or image, we can become partners in harming a child, harming their dignity, and distorting their image," she said.