Submitted by crinadmin on
Earlier this week, the Press Council of India (PCI) invited The Concerned for Working Children (CWC), to make a presentation of the Media Code of Conduct for Children’s Rights. The Media Code of Conduct is a code developed by CWC in consultation with children, other organizations working with children’s issues and media persons, on how the media should protect and promote the rights of children in the design, production and distribution of media. The Chairperson of PCI, Justice G.N. Ray, the Secretary and all members were attended the meeting. All the members had studied the Code in great detail and are keen to promote it to the press. The meeting was highly productive. Proposed follow up includes the following: Earlier in the month, the media fraternity in Bangalore endorsed the Code at a press meet where they spoke at length with CWC and Madhyam and Bhima Sangha members about the Code and its relevance in today. The Code has received extensive coverage in all major newspapers, AIR and a regional TV channel. Several journalists have expressed interest in promoting the Code within their organisations and through their publications. The violation of children's rights by the media, whether through insensitive reportage, misrepresentation or denial of space for children’s opinions on various issues, is the focus of this Media Code of Conduct. There were three primary arenas for examination in evolving the Working Draft of the Media Code of Conduct: - Children as ‘producers’ of Media Themes include Children as creators of media in society; Creating spaces for children’s expression and opinions of realities around them - Children as ‘users’ of Media Themes include Children’s Access to Media; Right to information; Children's Rights Programming of content, Right to protection from harmful content - Children as ‘subjects’ of Media Themes include Children as subjects rather than objects of the media; Right to protection from misrepresentation and stereotyping; Right to privacy, confidentiality and dignity
The Media Code of Conduct to realise Children’s Rights, is an effort towards creating a paradigm shift in the media’s approach to children – from recipients of adult benevolence to full partners in society. It has been evolved in the context of the Indian experience of mass media and the many issues that emerge with respect to children's participation, use of and representation in the media. It was released in 2005 at a conference on Human Rights and Media in Bangalore, when several people from the development field and the media endorsed it.
Children already see this as a tool to assist them to assert their rights vis a vis media. We hope this will become an affirmative protocol - a useful self-regulatory tool for all those who respect Children's Rights.