Picture used for illustration.

The Child Safety Department (CSD), an affiliate of Sharjah’s Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA), launches a video raising awareness about the importance of abiding by UAE laws that protect children’s rights to privacy, dignity and respect when addressing their issues in the media.

The video was launched in line with the CSD’s ‘Responsible Media, Safe Child’ initiative. It targets journalists, parents, social media influencers and the UAE community.

The content of the video sheds light on light the lasting impact that news reporting, photos and other forms of content generated for public consumption can have on those projected in these media stories. It often undermines the privacy and rights of children, and can cause acute emotional stress and sometimes even result in irreversible psychological damage in young children and/or their family members.

Picture used for illustration.

Hanadi Saleh Al Yafei, Director of CSD, said “all it takes is a few seconds for breaking news or photos that undermine children’s privacy to go viral on online platforms. This makes it an obligation for parents, media, and officials to exercise utmost discretion while deciding how they are going to present written or visual content dealing with children’s issues. We have to consider their impact on children, their friends and families.”

‘Responsible Media Safe Child’ initiative aims to reinforce the role of UAE’s media in protecting children’s rights when reporting on children’s issues, ensure institutional compliance with UAE laws and regulations, and improve reporting and accountability standards for violations that might have a potential psychological, physical and social impact on the future of children, their families and the community.

The Initiative was lunched by the Child Safety Department in August 2018 under the directives of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of SCFA.