LAHORE: The Legal Awareness Watch (LAW) on Friday organized an awareness-raising session on the role of journalists regarding reporting cases of juvenile delinquency.
The session was followed by a question/answer session in a local hotel here in Lahore. The session concluded with an emphasis on making Juvenile Justice Committees active and functional across Pakistan to resolve cases of children in conflict with minor laws.
Director LAW Barrister Sarmad Ali said that since the implementation of Juvenile Justice Act 2018, Juvenile Justice Committees have not been activated across Punjab till date. Children found to be involved in minor breaches of penal law will be dealt with through the non-punitive sanctions set out in the Diversion Act 2018.
He further said that media personnel while reporting incidents involving children should consider that anonymity is required under the Act. Ali reiterated the fact that the media should remember that “children’s rights” are “human rights”. He expressed dismay at the way stories involving minors were reported. He said that the rights of the child and its identity are important, urging the media to be careful in receiving information related to minors and how it is reported. He added that by using the power of pen or camera a positive change can be brought in the society. He urged to implement Juvenile Justice System Act 2018 in its letter and spirit.
