Journalists must protect child rights
Journalists should follow a code of ethics in presenting news so that it does not violate child rights and affect their psychological development, said media representatives and rights activists yesterday.
Each media house should arrange trainings for journalists to sensitise them to child rights, they viewed at a meeting titled “Ethics and principles in journalism: Children context” at The Daily Star Centre in the capital.
Management and Resources Development Initiative (MRDI) organised the event with support from Unicef and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
Addressing as chief guest, NHRC Chairman Mizanur Rahman said there should be some legal guidelines on what should be published or broadcast in media and what not.
Associate Editor of the daily Prothom Alo Abdul Quayum stressed the need for a policy for publishing and broadcasting advertisements to protect children from its adverse effects.
Bangladesh Press Council Secretary Shyamol Chandra Karmakar noted that online news portals in many cases do not follow professional ethics.
Editor of the daily Samakal Golam Sarwar said the Editors' Council has already taken initiatives to formulate a code of conduct for journalists.
Director (news) of Ekattor TV Syed Ishtiaq Reza, Bhorer Kagoj Editor Shyamol Dutta, Campaign for Popular Education Executive Director Rasheda K Choudhury, MRDI Executive Director Hasibur Rahman, CEO of INFOCUS Farid Hossain and Press Institute of Bangladesh Director General Shah Alamgir also spoke.
In another programme organised by Orbis International at the same venue, speakers yesterday said journalists can motivate people to prevent diseases, particularly childhood blindness, by reporting on its causes and preventions.
President of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, and Dr Munir Ahmad and Dr Lutful Hossain, country director and ophthalmologist respectively of Orbis International, among others, spoke.
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