UNICEF Charges Journalists: “Protect the Child First” in Abuse Reporting
Media professionals across the nation have been urged to put the safety and dignity of children above headlines, as UNICEF intensifies advocacy for ethical reporting of child rights violations.
The call was made on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, during a media training on ethical child rights reporting organized by UNICEF in Port Harcourt.
Speaking at the event, Juliet Chiluwe, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Port Harcourt, charged journalists to ensure that every story involving a child prioritizes protection over publicity.
“As journalists, we have a responsibility to tell the story, but not at the expense of the child. Ensure the child is protected. A child who has suffered abuse should not suffer a second time because of how we report it,” Chiluwe said.
She noted that unethical reporting — such as publishing names, faces, or locations of child victims — often leads to stigma, re-traumatization, and long-term psychological harm.
“When we protect one child’s identity today, we protect a generation’s future tomorrow,” Chiluwe concluded.
Facilitators warned that failing to protect child victims in the media has national consequences.
“It is not enough to report a child’s abuse. We must ensure that the trauma will not make a lasting impact on them. A traumatized child is bad for the future of Nigeria. “Trauma Today is Nigeria’s Problem Tomorrow”.
Participants were reminded to ask a critical newsroom question before publishing: “Must I tell this story this way?”
The training featured an overview of the Child’s Rights Act and relevant provisions in the 1999 Constitution, with emphasis on the media’s role in upholding them.
A Public Analyst, Dr. Jide Johnson, speaking on “The Media as Protector of Child Rights”, said journalists must move beyond emotion and embrace data.
“Do not neglect the numbers. The numbers tell the story better and faster. When you report on out-of-school children, malnutrition, or mortality, data makes the case stronger for government action,” Dr. Johnson said.
He introduced participants to UNICEF’s ‘Baskets of Rights’: Survival Rights, Development Rights, Protection Rights, and Participation Rights.
“And when there are flickers of doubt about identity or safety, the best principle is to protect the child,” he added.
Dr. Geoffrey Njoku spoke on balancing public interest with child protection.
“The public has a right to know, but the child has a greater right to safety and a future. Our reporting must reflect both,” Dr. Njoku said.
Addressing the pressure of social media, Dr. Nansel Nimyel and Dr. Lanre Idowu cautioned journalists against sacrificing standards for speed.
“In this era of cloud chasing, credibility, professionalism and accuracy must remain our watchword. One viral but harmful story can destroy a child’s life forever,” Dr. Nimyel said.
Dr. Idowu added that ethical reporting is “about doing what is right for the children and redirecting how we frame their stories — from victims to survivors with rights.”
The training also made policy recommendations. Participants called on government at all levels to play their role in reducing infant mortality by investing in potable water, accessible healthcare, and a healthy environment — key components of a child’s survival rights.
The UNICEF team said similar capacity-building will be sustained across the South-South to ensure media becomes a tool for prevention, not exploitation.
