This is from Day 2 of "Putting Children in the Right," a training program I coordinated and taught in conjunction with UNICEF Belize and the Universit of the West Indies Open Campus, Belize. November 2011. Provides resources for covering and consulting with youth and children.

1. UNICEF Belize &
The University of the West Indies Open Campus, Belize

2. Journalists & Children
Study by Dr. MagdaMichielsens of the University
of Nijmegen in the Netherlands (1995)
“In words and pictures children can often become
cyphers, representing youth, hope, joy, misery or
despair, but not properly existing as individual
people in their own right.”

3. What do you think?
Photographer Nick Ut
took this picture of Kim
Phuc, age 9. She was
fleeing herVietnamese
village after a naplam
attack. (1972)
(See p. 51 in “Gudelines”)

4. Naming names
ASK yourself
What harm might be caused?
e.g. a feature story about the top CXC performer vs. the
child victim of a crime
Clause 5 of the IFJ Guidelines
“guard against visually or otherwise identifying children
unless it is demonstrably in the public interest.”
FOR MORE see page 45 in “Guidelines”

5. Interviewing
Ask, is it necessary to interview a child for this
story?
Even if I CAN (e.g. permission is granted) SHOULD
I?
“How can an interview be carried out effectively
while still respecting the rights of the child?”
For more see p. 57 of “Guidelines”

6. Interviewing
UNICEF Style Book
Annex VII
1) Do no harm to any child
2) Do not discriminate is choosing children to
interview
3) No staging
4) Ensure children and guardians know they are
talking with a reporter

7. Interviewing
UNICEF Style Book
Annex VII
5) Obtain permission from the child and his/her
guardian
6) Pay attention to WHERE and HOW the child is
interviewed

8. Interviewing
Permission and presence of guardian
Ensure the child is relaxed and comfortable
Address question to the child, not the adult
Adopt a calm, friendly tone.
Clear, straightforward language for questions
Repeat questions as necessary
Sit or stand at the same level as the child
Do not “talk down” to the child

9. Interviewing
Eye contact may not always be the best idea
Ask factual questions rather than how a child
feels
Seek corroboration
Carefully select interpreters

10. Photography & Video
Practicalities (see page 32 “Telling their
Stories”
Journalistic purpose
Issues for Consideration
Exploring Alternatives
Checklist

11. Consulting with Children
Toolkit from Save the Children
Consulting with children important because:
It improves the relevance and appropriateness of public and
organisational decision-making on children‟s issues
It brings particular benefits to the poorest and most
marginalised groups of children
It acknowledges a shift in the view of children as
„beneficiaries‟ of adult interventions towards respect for
them as „rights holders‟
It is the main means by which children can be more actively
included in their society as active and responsible citizens

12. Consulting with Children
Toolkit from Save the Children
It increases the visibility of children‟s issues and helps to
improve the accountability of adult institutions for what
happens to children.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child affirms
children‟s right to express their views freely in all matters
that affect them. The Convention also enhances children‟s
participation through the recognition of children‟s right to
seek and receive appropriate information; freedom of
expression; freedom of thought, conscience and religion;
and the right to form and join associations.

13. Consulting with Children
What‟s in it for a journalist?

14. Consulting with children
Checklist (Toolkit from Save the Children)
Objectives and learning needs
Participants
Planning and logistics
Facilitation
Language
Evaluation