TRAINING: UNICEF Trains Myanmar Journalists on Child Rights, Reporting Group Drafts Ethics Code with Guidelines for Reporting on Children

MEDIA RELEASE

UNICEF Trains Myanmar Journalists on Child Rights, Reporting Group Drafts
Ethics Code with Guidelines for Reporting on Children

Yangon, 01 July 2005 – Today UNICEF concluded a two-week training course
for 24 Myanmar journalists on international-standard reporting skills,
child-focused reporting and media ethics.

Participating journalists learned about the Convention on the Rights of the
Child, as well as pressing issues such as HIV/AIDS – areas where reporters
working inside of Myanmar can still make a difference in the lives of the
country’s children and their families.

The group of reporters concluded the training by drafting a comprehensive
code of journalists’ ethics, which includes a series of guidelines for
reporting on children – a first for Myanmar.

Most of the journalists are in their teens or early twenties.

“This training is important because it gives young reporters in Myanmar an
opportunity to learn more about children’s rights, ethics, and how they can
give a greater voice to children and young people in their country,” said
UNICEF Representative in Myanmar Carroll Long.

Since many journalists in Myanmar only have limited opportunities to
receive international-standard instruction, UNICEF began providing training
opportunities for reporters in 2004.

Thanks to financial support from the Swedish National Committee for UNICEF,
UNICEF is sponsoring a series of trainings for Myanmar journalists this
year.

“Training is particularly important for young journalists in Myanmar
because it can increase their ability to help the country’s families learn
about measures that they themselves can take to enhance their children’s
health and wellbeing,” said Ms. Long.

In addition to training professional journalists, UNICEF will train a team
of teenage ‘youth journalists’ this year, and sponsor their placement with
select private publications to give children and young people a greater
voice in Myanmar language media.

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The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) establishes that children
have the right to express their views and receive information on important
matters. Myanmar ratified the CRC in 1991.

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For further information please contact:

Jason Rush, Communication Officer, UNICEF in Myanmar
Phone: (95 1) 212 086, Fax: (95 1) 212 063
Email: jrush@unicef.org
Jason M. Rush
Communication Officer
UNICEF Myanmar

Office: (95 1) 212 086
Mobile: (95) 951 22 696
Fax: (95 1) 212 063
Email: jasonmrush@unicef.org
Web: www.unicef.org/myanmar

UNICEF Myanmar
6th Floor, Yangon International Hotel
330 Ahlone Road, Dagon Township
Yangon 11191, Myanmar
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Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

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