The Fetisov Journalism Awards (FJA), with the mission to promote universal human values such as honesty, justice, courage and nobility, is set to host a webinar aimed at reinforcing the importance of ethical journalism in covering children’s issues to ensure that the stories told help, rather than harm, the lives of young people.
Scheduled to hold on September 5, at 13:00 UTC, the webinar, titled “Children in the News: Journalism and the Rights of the Child,” is part of the FJA’s “Winning Stories” series, which focuses on the ethical responsibilities of journalists when reporting on children and their rights.
Following the webinar, a detailed report will be published to further support FJA’s mission to promote world-class journalism that makes a difference.
Since its inception five years ago, FJA has honored exceptional journalism that sheds light on child abuse and exploitation, often leading to significant global change. The 2024 winning stories had a profound impact, with one story influencing global government policies, while another uncovered the grim reality faced by young girls in conflict zones. Past winners have exposed issues ranging from child labor exploitation to the consequences of rushed adulthood in vulnerable communities.
The webinar will feature FJA award winners sharing the challenges they faced reporting on children. Participants will gain insights into ethical journalism, particularly when working with young and vulnerable populations. Discussions will include safeguarding children’s rights, reliable information sourcing, and ensuring children’s voices are heard.
The distinguished panel of speakers for the FJA webinar includes Hannah Dreier, a FJA 2023 Winner and investigative reporter for The New York Times with Pulitzer Prizes in 2019 and 2023; Hadeel Arja, a FJA 2023 Winner and founder of Tinyhand; Ankush Kumar, a FJA 2020 Winner and freelance content writer who has covered topics from energy transition to cybersecurity; Cherian George, FJA Expert Council Member, editor of What’s Up, and professor of media studies with a focus on censorship and media freedom; Nadia Azhgikhina, FJA Steering Committee Member and Director of PEN Moscow, and former Vice-President of the European Federation of Journalists; and Aidan White, President of the Ethical Journalism Network and Honorary Adviser for the Fetisov Journalism Awards.
Moderated by Aidan White, the webinar will also explore ethical subtopics such as safeguarding children, ensuring accurate reporting, and verifying sources of information. Journalists will share best practices for maintaining the highest standards of ethics and professionalism in child-related reporting, drawing from guidelines developed by the International Federation of Journalists and UNICEF.
Interested journalists should please register for the event here.
For questions or more information, contact the FJA team at info@fjawards.com and for more information visit https://fjawards.com/events/webinar-children-in-the-news-journalism-and-the-rights-of-the-child.
