Ghana News - Code of ethics for reporting on children launched - Graphic Online

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A Child Protection Code of Ethics intended to uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct among journalists in relation to their reportage on children, has been launched in Accra.

The 16-page document on the theme, “Making the Worth of Children Matter Through Reporting”, touches on issues of protecting the privacy and dignity of the child, participation and consent, responsibility of journalists towards society for the interest of children, and placement of images, videos, and messages in news reporting.

Developed by Child Rights International, a non-governmental organization, the National Media Commission (NMC) and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), with funding from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the document is also meant to ensure that the ethics adopted by journalists in reporting on children are updated to suit their best interest, instead of damaging their image.

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NEWS: GNCRC appeals to the media to highlight children's issues

An appeal has been made to the media to do more to help educate the public on issues bothering on child's rights and protection.

Mr Barima Akwasi Amankwaah, Programme Officer of the Ghana Non-Governmental Organizations Coalition on the Rights of the Child (GNCRC), said matters affecting the welfare and growth of children needed to engage serious attention.

This would help to prevent their abuse in the society.

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NEWS: Ghana: Media Urged to Protect Rights, Interest of Children (AFRICA)

Kumasi — THE ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Association of Ghana (EPAG) and its partners, Ghana NGOs Coalition on the Rights of the Child (GNCRC) and Plan Nederland have introduced: "The Girl Power Project", to improve the alarming situations of exposed children in Ghana.

The Girl Power Project is currently implemented in 5 communities, and will be running until 2015, with the aim of educating communities on violence against children and women, meeting with boys and men to make them understand their role in empowering girls and women, capacity building for girls and women, meeting with community and district child protection committees, and many other activities, according to EPAG.

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NEWS / TRAINING: Plan Ghana trains youth in ICT skills

Lassia-Tuolu, Sept. 4, GNA - Plan Ghana International, a child centered NGO, has empowered 28 selected youths from the Upper West Region with social media skills using Information Communication Technology (ICT).

Twenty of the youths were selected from the Saint Ignatius of Loyola Senior High School (SHS), while the remaining eight were chosen from Lassia-Tuolu community in the Wa West District. The US$6,000- project dubbed: 93Youth Empowerment Through Art and Media (YETAM)" was sponsored by Plan-USA.

The aim was to expose the youths to the modern social media technology and skills available for problem solving. Briefing the Ghana News Agency in Wa at the weekend, Madam Joyce Odame, Plan Ghana Child Rights Advisor, said participants were trained on how to identify social problems such as teenage pregnancy, poor sanitation and high birth rate among others in their various communities.

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ARTICLES / NEWS: Students bemoan lack of media content on youth issues

Accra, March 24, GNA - Participants at a press interaction have bemoaned the lack of adequate content on youth issues in the media. They have therefore, called on the media to develop programmes that would address issues about children. The participants, including students from some Junior and Senior High Schools made the call at a press interaction in Accra on Thursday. It was jointly organised by Curious Minds; Children and Youth in Broadcasting, an organisation aimed at creating a coalition of youth and media organisations to bring youth voices into the mainstream press.

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NEWS / ARTICLES: Advertising industry violates children's rights; CRI (GHANA)

The Executive Director of Child Rights International CRI is calling on the Social Welfare, National Media Commission and other stakeholders to check the current violation of the rights of children especially in the advertising industry.

Bright Appiah says the use of children in advertisements without a clear cut policy framework from advertising agencies and other companies, amount to neglect and the use of cheap labour. He was speaking in an interview with Joy News in the Eastern Regional capital Koforidua after the launch of this year’s Easter School for Children.

Bright Appiah said stakeholders have so far neglected the basic policy that protects children. As a result of that, the advertising industry is using these children as cheap labour.

He says the attractive nature of children when they exhibit certain qualities in these adverts also borders on whether the current framework in the country allows the participation of children to such extent.

He noted that most of the adverts involving children are not necessarily contributing to the development of children, whereas the law also states that the interest of the child should be paramount in whatever activity they undertake.

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ARTICLES / RADIO: Ghanaian youth radio host speaks out on gender equality

Ghanaian youth radio host speaks out on gender equality

NEW YORK, USA, 20 March 2009 – The 53rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women wrapped up at UN headquarters in New York last week. Among its attendees this year was Edith Asamani, 18, a youth radio host from Ghana.

The annual conference brings together leaders from around the world to promote gender equality and women’s advancement. Edith, the Secretary of Ghana’s ‘Curious Minds’ youth radio group and host of a talk show called ‘Uniiq’, describes her role as “radio advocate.”

“We talk about everything – everything that concerns young people,” she says. ‘Uniiq’ covers dozens of topics that are close to Edith’s heart, including child labour, girls’ rights, health issues and sexuality.

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PROJECTS / RADIO: ‘Curious Minds’ produce lively, award-winning youth radio in Ghana

Curious Minds' produce lively, award-winning youth radio in Ghana

NEW YORK, USA, 4 March 2009 – A group of 20 youths packed together in a small radio studio, crowded over a few microphones, are speaking with great intensity. They laugh often and sometimes talk over each other.

VIDEO: Watch now

The young people are live on air, discussing educational reform and AIDS education – just two of the many social topics that are covered on 'Curious Minds', a talk radio programme of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.

'Curious Minds' has over 60 youth members who participate in all levels of production on the show.

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NEWS / ICDB: Akua Sena Dansua launches International Children's Day of Broadcasting (GHANA)

Akua Sena Dansua launches International Children's Day of Broadcasting

The Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, Akua Sena Dansua, has stressed the need to target young people in the effort to curb indiscipline in the country. She said, the youth have fertile minds and if acts of discipline are inculcated in them, they absorb them quickly. Madam Akua Sena Dansua said, this at the launch of the International Children’s’ Day of Broadcasting which falls on 1st March in Accra. She noted that if children are engaged in broadcasting, they will be provided the platform to express their views on issues that concern and affect them.

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