Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) is delighted to award a GLAD[1] to Daily Voice for publishing an article about a Grade 4 pupil at Laerskool Mikroi in Western Cape who will star in a film about a story she wrote and entered into the Western Cape Education Department’s Story Stars project.
The article which is written by Venecia Valentine and is titled, “I’m a cartoon star: Schoolgirl cast in own winning story” (Daily Voice, 02/02/2022) reports on Xia du Toit who won the Story Stars competition with an original story she wrote. According to the article, Xia’s story will be turned into an animated film and the child will star in it.
The story is selected as a GLAD for positively highlighting the achievement of the Grade 4 pupil and celebrating her. Furthermore, the GLAD is given because the story includes the child’s voice where she expresses her feelings about the achievement.
Xia duToit says in the article, “Today was an amazing experience, and I was overwhelmed when I saw how my story was shaped into an animation.”
This good practice of accessing children for their views in stories about them is commendable. It is in line with MMA’s Guidelines and Principles for Reporting on Children in the Media that state, “Children have a right to have their views heard on matters that affect them, so try and include them.”[2]
Further, by interviewing the child, the journalist promoted her right to freedom of speech, which is outlined in the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) that South Africa ratified in 2000. Article 7 of the Charter states,” Every child who is capable of communicating his or her own views shall be assured the rights to express his opinions freely in all matters and to disseminate his opinions subject to such restrictions as are prescribed by the law.”[3]
We urge the publication to continue with this kind of reporting on children that celebrates the achievements of children and accesses them for their views.
MMA looks forward to seeing more of such stories from Daily Voice.
Written by Musa Rikhotso
Edited by Lister Namumba
[1] A GLAD is awarded to an article that reports about children in a positive way.
[2] Find the guidelines here: http://54.217.43.239/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/mma_editorial_guideline.pdf.
[3] https://au.int/sites/default/files/treaties/36804-treaty-african_charter_on_rights_welfare_of_the_child.pdf
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