The 2014 Nigeria Violence against Children Study has revealed a high prevalence of sexual, physical and emotional violence against children in the country.
Chief Public Affairs of the National Population Commission (NPoPC) Ngozi Okakpu-Nwagbo disclosed this Thursday at a workshop on working with the media to end violence against children in Akwanga, Nasarawa state.
The survey was carried out by the commission and supported by US Centres for Disease Control and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Nigeria is the ninth country in the world to conduct a violence against children’s survey.
Okakpu-Nwagbo said the survey which will still undergo some final validations and launched in September, also revealed that physical violence by teachers is alarmingly high.
While stating that boys and girls experience violence differently, she said preventive measures need to be widely implemented, and children need to be encouraged to report acts of violence against them.
Media and Communications specialist at UNICEF, Geoffrey Njoku in his presentation said there are things journalists need to be mindful of and focus on while reporting violence against children.
“The way the media represents or even ignores children can influence decisions taken on their behalf and how the society regards them,” he said.
He advised journalists to be mindful of protecting children’s identity, giving voice to children, not harming them and avoid discrimination on disability, ethnicity or religion ,among others.
