A Consultant advocating Children’s rights says statistics on all forms of abuse in Southern Africa indicates that the Zambia media gives prominence to negative stories about children as opposed to positive developments about them.
Save the Children Sweden Media Monitoring Project Consultant William Bird who is based in South Africa said according to statistics, 60% of children’s stories that are carried in the local papers in Zambia report on child abuse cases.
Mr Bird said the development has prompted Save the Children Sweden to support research and monitoring of how children are portrayed in the media with focus on news in Zambia.
The Consultant said this at a media workshop at Cresta Golf View Hotel in Lusaka today organised by Save the Children Sweden with focus on Children.
Addressing Journalists, Mr Bird added that his organisation
promotes and supports children’s rights hence the need for interventions to promote children’s development.
Speaking earlier at the same function, Organisation Director Petronella Mayeya said Save the Children Sweden wants to work with the media to see how best children’s rights can be protected.
Ms Mayeya noted that her organisation decided to hold the workshop in order to bring together journalists and discuss how to improve coverage of children’s stories.
She called on the media to highlight issues affecting children.
She also stressed the need for Journalists to use their ethics when reporting on abused children by withholding their (Children) identity as identifying them would have a negative impact on their development.
