“Beyond the News: NAWOJ Commits to UNICEF on Advancing Child Rights Protection in Kaduna”

“Beyond the News: NAWOJ Commits to UNICEF on Advancing Child Rights Protection in Kaduna”

By Zainab Tanimu

Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria

Beyond simply reporting events, the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Kaduna State chapter, has reaffirmed its commitment to shaping narratives that protect and promote children’s rights, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The commitment was made at the end of a workshop held in Zaria, where journalists were reminded of their critical role in driving the implementation of the Child Rights Protection Law.

The two-day workshop, themed “Strengthening Child Sensitive Media Reporting: Empowering Women Journalists as Advocates for Children and Social Change,” brought together experts to educate women journalists from across the state on strengthening coverage of child-related issues.

Organised in partnership with UNICEF, the event emphasised that as mothers and custodians of the home, women journalists’ actions and inactions cannot be undermined.

Through individual presentations, interactive sessions, and group work, resource persons facilitated deep engagement to ensure comprehension.

UNICEF’s intervention focus

A UNICEF team member gave an overview of the organisation’s interventions in Nigeria, focusing on health, nutrition, WASH, education, child protection, and social policy.

She stressed the necessity of working with women to reach children effectively. She explained that UNICEF works closely with the Nigerian government to strengthen policies and provide humanitarian assistance to vulnerable children across the country.

Several campaigns have been carried out, she noted, with more to come. “If you have to get to children, you have to work with women,” she said, underscoring the importance of carrying women along.

She listed UNICEF’s six key programme areas: Child Survival and Development; Education; Child Protection; Social Policy and Social Protection; Gender Equality; and Humanitarian Action (Emergency Response), calling for collaboration to achieve these goals.

Developing child protection policies in media houses

Another resource person, Mrs. Stella Bature, spoke on “Developing a Media House Child Protection Policy.” She highlighted areas necessary for organisational plans, including giving children a voice and ensuring their dignity is respected at all times.

She also addressed digital reporting and the use of artificial intelligence (AI), noting its impact on making journalism easier.

However, she urged journalists to maintain editorial integrity, observe editorial etiquette, and safeguard their image through ethical reportage. “Safeguard your image by being ethical in your reportage,” she called.

Storytelling, AI, and ethical reporting

Mrs. Tamani Yusuf, in her presentation on storytelling, further stressed the impactful role of AI in reportage, particularly for evidence-based storytelling.

She noted that AI can combine data, simplify tasks, offer wider coverage, aid advocacy, and help track records. But she cautioned that AI lacks human emotion, and information can be distorted if not well presented. “AI is not human. It has no emotional feelings,” she emphasised, adding that AI does not replace human storytelling. She called for journalists to be trained in using digital tools and to always fact-check information.

Speaking on ethical reporting, Mrs. Yusuf reminded journalists that child rights protection outweighs the public’s right to know. “No child likes to be on the street. Every child will want to feel the embrace of a mother, but some challenges militate against them,” she said.

She noted that children of both the poor and the rich face different challenges. She urged that when reporting such stories, journalists must protect privacy, dignity, and identity, seek consent and parental approval, and avoid harmful stereotypes and sensationalism.

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