Protecting the Rights of Children
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PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN: THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA LESSONS FROM BRAZIL, INDIA AND KENYA ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Internews Europe thanks the following individuals and organisations for their advice and support in producing this publication. AUTHORS AND CONTRIBUTORS Susan Angle, Senior Monitoring & Evaluation and Research Advisor Thomas Baerthlein, Head of Conflict and Stabilisation Programme, Internews Europe Neeti Daftari, Researcher for Internews Europe in India Brice Rambaud, Project Director, Kenya Niousha Roshani, Project Director, Brazil RESEARCHERS Neeti Daftari, Researcher for Internews Europe in India Gabriel Herkenhoff, Researcher for Internews Europe in Brazil Lorena Lucas Regattieri, Researcher for Internews Europe in Brazil Shem Sam, Researcher for Internews Europe in Kenya Lia Scarton Carreira, Researcher for Internews Europe in Brazil ADVISORY AND SUPPORT GROUP Rafiq Copeland, Dadaab Project Director, Internews Lucy Cronin, Development Assistant, Internews Europe Maya Prabhu, Programmes Administrative Assistant, Internews Europe Thomas Seropian, Web Application Engineer, Internews Europe Magali Siaudeau, Programme Officer, Internews Europe Francesca Silvani, Senior Director of Programmes, Internews Europe Aashish Yadav, Project Director, India EDITING AND DESIGN Angela Burton, Editor CottierSidaway Design Images: Panos photo, Photophilanthropy and UNICEF For hard copies of this report please contact [email protected] Publication date: January 2014 This research has been supported by: COVER PHOTO A journalist takes part in Internews training on a project to improve dialogue between citizens, media and local authorities in Pakistan, 2012. © Internews Europe / Imran Babur 3 PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN: THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA LESSONS FROM BRAZIL, INDIA AND KENYA PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF 4 CHILDREN: THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA LESSONS FROM BRAZIL, INDIA AND KENYA CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 2 ABOUT INTERNEWS EUROPE 6 INTRODUCTION 7 KEY FINDINGS AND SUMMARY RECOMMENDATIONS 8 INTERNEWS EUROPE'S THEORY OF CHANGE 9 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 10 IN-COUNTRY SITUATION/SECTOR ANALYSIS 10 METHODOLOGY 10 MEDIA CONTENT ANALYSIS 11 METHODOLOGY 11 CHAPTER 1. BRAZIL: TRANSFORMING HOW CHILDREN ARE SEEN AND HEARD 13 GOVERNMENT CHILD RIGHTS POLICY AND PRACTICE 13 I. THE BRAZILIAN MEDIA LANDSCAPE 14 CHILDREN AND TV: AN INVISIBLE AUDIENCE 16 KEY FINDINGS BY INTERNEWS EUROPE’S STUDY ANALYSING CHILD RIGHTS CONTENT ACROSS PRINT, TELEVISION, RADIO AND SOCIAL MEDIA 17 RADIO AND CHILD RIGHTS: UNTAPPED POTENTIAL 18 THE INTERNET, TWITTER, CHILDREN AND YOUTH 18 II. THE MEDIA PERSPECTIVE 20 NEWS AND CHILD RIGHTS: LACKING IN DEPTH 20 CHILD ANONYMITY: A RIGHT IGNORED 21 CHILD PROGRAMMING: OFFERING A DIFFERENT APPROACH 22 MEDIA ACTIVITIES TO PROTECT CHILD RIGHTS 23 MEDIA RELATIONS WITH CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS AND GOVERNMENT 23 CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES: ENGAGING THE MEDIA ON CHILD RIGHTS 24 III. THE CIVIL SOCIETY PERSPECTIVE 24 CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS AND TRADITIONAL MEDIA: DIVERSE BUT LIMITED ENGAGEMENT 24 CSOS AND NEW MEDIA 27 CIVIL SOCIETY AND MEDIA NETWORKS: DISPELLING DISTRUST 28 GENERATING CHILD RIGHTS COVERAGE: CIVIL SOCIETY KEY MOMENTS 28 CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES: CSOS AND MEDIA ACTIVITIES 28 AMPLIFYING THE VOICES OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH 30 5 CHAPTER 2. INDIA: THE COMPLEX CHALLENGE OF CHILD RIGHTS REPORTING 31 GOVERNMENT CHILD RIGHTS POLICY AND PRACTICE 31 I. THE INDIAN MEDIA LANDSCAPE 32 REGIONALISATION OF MEDIA 33 NEW MEDIA: OUTPACING THE OLD 34 ADVERTISING: CALLING THE SHOTS 35 CHILDREN’S VOICES ARE ABSENT 36 KEY FINDINGS FROM INTERNEWS EUROPE’S STUDY ANALYSING CHILD RIGHTS CONTENT ACROSS PRINT, TELEVISION, RADIO AND SOCIAL MEDIA 37 II. THE MEDIA PERSPECTIVE 39 CHILD-CENTRED NEWS AND CONTENT: LOW ON QUALITY, LOW ON QUANTITY 40 SOCIAL MEDIA: ON THE RISE FOR RURAL YOUTH 41 HOW WELL DOES INDIA’S MEDIA EMBRACE CHILD RIGHTS? 42 THE MEDIA, CIVIL SOCIETY AND GOVERNMENT: UNEASY BEDFELLOWS 44 CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES: ENGAGING THE MEDIA ON CHILD RIGHTS 45 III. THE CIVIL SOCIETY PERSPECTIVE 47 CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS AND TRADITIONAL MEDIA: OFTEN AT ODDS 47 CSOS AND NEW MEDIA: A RELATIONSHIP WITH HUGE, UNTAPPED POTENTIAL 51 CIVIL SOCIETY AND MEDIA NETWORKS: A STREAMLINED APPROACH NEEDED 52 GENERATING CHILD RIGHTS COVERAGE: CIVIL SOCIETY KEY MOMENTS 52 CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES: CSOS AND MEDIA ACTIVITIES 53 CHAPTER 3. KENYA: AMPLIFYING THE VOICES OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH 55 GOVERNMENT CHILD RIGHTS POLICY AND PRACTICE 55 I. THE KENYAN MEDIA LANDSCAPE 57 KEY FINDINGS BY INTERNEWS EUROPE’S STUDY ANALYSING CHILD RIGHTS CONTENT ACROSS PRINT, TELEVISION, RADIO AND SOCIAL MEDIA 58 II. THE MEDIA PERSPECTIVE 60 CHILD-RELATED NEWS AND CONTENT: LIMITED AND LACKING DEPTH 62 CHILD-LED CONTENT – ESPECIALLY ON CHILD RIGHTS – IS ABSENT FROM MEDIA 62 MEDIA ACTIVITY AROUND CHILD RIGHTS IS SCARCE 63 MEDIA RELATIONS WITH CSOS AND GOVERNMENT 65 III. THE CIVIL SOCIETY PERSPECTIVE 66 CSO’S PREFERENCE FOR TRADITIONAL MEDIA 66 CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS: STARTING TO MAKE THE MOST OF NEW MEDIA 68 GENERATING CHILD RIGHTS COVERAGE: CIVIL SOCIETY MOMENTS 69 BRIDGING THE GAPS: SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY TO UTILISE THE MEDIA 72 RAISING THE VOICES OF CHILDREN 72 THE WAY FORWARD: RECOMMENDATIONS 73 PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF 6 CHILDREN: THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA LESSONS FROM BRAZIL, INDIA AND KENYA ABOUT INTERNEWS EUROPE Internews Europe is an international development organisation that specialises in supporting ABOUT THE RESEARCH independent media, freedom of information and free This report is based on research conducted in expression around the globe. The vast majority of our Brazil, India and Kenya in 2013. programmes are targeted at crisis-hit populations, emerging democracies and some of the world’s The aim of the research was to assess the current poorest countries. role played by the media in protecting and promoting child rights. We believe access to information and resilient local media is central to good governance, human It forms the basis of a three-year programme to rights and conflict resolution, and is a key part of strengthen the media in reporting on children's effective responses to humanitarian crises and public rights, by addressing specifically the lack of understanding of critical issues such as climate child-led and high-quality information available change. Internews Europe’s media development and to the media, citizens and policy-makers. information access projects ultimately enable people to hold their governments to account, to develop tolerant and prosperous communities and to rebuild lives and livelihoods following destabilising conflict or humanitarian disasters. The power of new technologies to analyse, distribute and publish data and information is creating significant opportunities to support our beneficiaries. Our programmes increasingly amplify the reach and impact of local media through the innovative deployment of new digital technologies (Internet, mobile, and social media) to create dynamic and inclusive local information systems. Every year our work empowers and builds the capacity of dozens of independent media organisations and hundreds of local media professionals in some of the world’s most challenging environments. We are creating a new generation of professionals that combine a solid grounding in sound, ethical journalism with skills in the new digital communication technologies to support local citizens and consumers. INTRODUCTION 7 INTRODUCTION National and international efforts are underway India, Kenya and Brazil were used as test settings to across all continents to stop systematic abuse of the understand how to harness the power of traditional rights of children. Even so, shockingly high levels of media (TV, newspapers and radio) and new media child rights violations continue. In three countries (Internet and mobile phones) to amplify the voices alone – India, Kenya and Brazil – hundreds of of advocates and children, improve media coverage millions of children live with hunger, homelessness and transform child protection. Local researchers and illiteracy, and suffer sexual violence, physical in each country conducted extensive primary and abuse, forced labour and other varied and complex secondary research to understand current media risks. The number of children at risk today in practices and how media intersect with youth and these countries is staggering – nearly 300 million advocates' voices to form an 'information ecosystem' children (over half the child population) are living in that can hinder or help child rights protection. conditions where their basic rights are violated.1 Additionally, an in-depth analysis of new and To confront and reduce the persistently high rate of traditional media content in these countries was child rights violations, Internews Europe, with the undertaken to understand the quality and quantity assistance of the IKEA Foundation, has assessed how of coverage of child rights violations, and of related the power of media and communication can play a policy discussions. role in efforts to fundamentally and sustainably shift the protection of child rights, in India, Kenya and This report presents an overview of the results of this Brazil. research and analysis. It also presents a programme design concept – using the research as a foundation Internews Europe believes that high quality media and framed within the context of the three test content and public debate that is inclusive of child countries – that could radically improve the child voices, expert advocates, and that explains