The overall aim and objective of Empowering Children and Media project is to analyse the representation of children and children’s rights in the South African news media. This report serves as a baseline study that will enable the development of policies and strategies to address strengths and wea...

We are all outraged when bad things happen to children, but the very reporting of these outrages can violate children’s rights to be protected. Three key issues can be identified in relation to the representation of children in the news media: Children are minimally represented, Children are often...

The 16 Days Campaign presents a window of opportunity for the South African media to focus on and engage with the issues of child abuse in a meaningful way. The 25th of November 2004 marks the start of the 16 Days of Activism Campaign: No Violence Against Women and Children. The campaign aims to rai...

The last few days have seen extensive coverage across all media of a white boy, Happy Sindane, who told police that he had been abducted by a domestic worker when he was 6 years old. Read the full analysis here....

On 29 October, MMP issued an update addressing the issue of inappropriate identification of a child. In an incident last week members of the media again identified a child who has been abused and traumatised, and has also identified children who may be facing criminal charges....

Despite the extra protection afforded to children in South Africa by the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (to which South Africa is a signatory), the Constitution, and various pieces of legislation, members of the media continue to violate the rights of children by identifying the...

The last few days have seen extensive coverage across all media of a white boy, Happy Sindane, who told police that he had been abducted by a domestic worker when he was 6-years old. Read the full article here....

The Sowetan Sunday World (SSW from now on) yesterday (15/07/01) carried a story about a seven-year-old boy child who had been disfigured in a fire. They published a close-up picture of the child and identified him by name. The headline was “Give me a Gun.” A note below the picture and the headli...

The case of Nadia Neethling is exceptional, and has presented the media with particularly difficult choices in reporting. She was first named and shown in the media over a week ago, after being abducted while walking home. She was, thankfully, found a few days later and at the time was said to be in...