PESHAWAR, Dec 21: Child rights issues must be highlighted but victims of child abuse and children vulnerable to exploitation must not be identified in the print or electronic media.

This was the consensus of the experts who addressed a workshop on Child Rights Convention and child protection issues, which was organised by a local NGO in collaboration with the Unicef.

They said the media should abide by defamation laws and the code of ethics formulated by the Supreme Court for journalists while reporting on child issues.

They were of the view that despite the existence of these laws, reporters sometimes violated the code of ethics while covering child abuse stories in electronic and print media.

They urged decision makers in newspapers and television channels not to publish any story or image that might put the child, his siblings or peers at risk even after identities were changed, obscured or not used.

A law department official highlighted the salient features of the Child Rights Convention and said the NWFP government had formed a committee for reviewing the laws regarding child rights in accordance with the convention. He said the provincial government was combating child labour through education and training, adding that the government was mobilising primary schoolteachers, parents and teachers’ associations in this regard.

The government, he said, had started programmes aimed at standardising child labour information kits. Issues in teachers’ training would also be looked into.

He said there was an urgent need to sensitise people in the media about child rights issues besides creating awareness over the said issues at the community level.

The journalists should be held responsible for keeping the victims’ identity confidential, he said.

He was of the view that reporters should highlight violations of children’s rights in many areas – including beggary, drug addiction and labour – so that the government realised its responsibilities.

A large number of media persons, representatives of NGOs, lawyers and students attended the workshop.