MP calls for self-regulation by the print media to protect children

Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi yesterday called for a voluntary code of conduct for the print media to avoid the publication of material, particularly adverts, which may be detrimental to children.

Speaking in parliament during the debate on a bill for the appointment of a Commissioner for Children, Dr Azzopardi observed that the broadcasting media had a code of ethics on advertising, but none existed for the print media.

Some of the magazines distributed in the Sunday papers included advertising and features which subtly but consistently subjected children to ways of life which were not consonant with positive social and Christian values, leading children to think it was okay to get drunk, to have an abortion, to cohabit, or to take drugs.

He was not saying that there should be censorship, and one had to protect the rights of publishers to freedom of expression and to sell their product and make a profit.

Indeed, he would not have objected had the matter he was referring to been carried in magazines which one had to actually buy, but in this case, the magazines were distributed with the newspapers and were easily accessible to children, Dr Azzopardi said.

One could not enforce morals, but his suggestion was that the new Commissioner for Children should convene a meeting for editors and publishers to discuss a voluntary code of conduct to protect children.

Dr Azzopardi also referred to the planned setting up of the Council for Children, observing that the ministers responsible for social policy, health, education, home affairs and justice would each nominate a representative.

He felt that the minister responsible for arts and culture should also nominate a representative, especially since the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child said that signatory states should ensure that children were able to fully participate in cultural and artistic events.

Indeed, too few young people were following cultural and artistic life.

Dr Azzopardi also called for tighter laws to regulate the sale of alcohol to children.

Dr Karl Chircop (MLP) said the Labour Party had been discussing the rights of the child under various headings including family planning, drug and alcohol abuse, child abuse, parents' responsibilities and rights, social and medical care, the role of the Family Commission, which he viewed as being underfunded, sexual discrimination, of which there still remained many cases, education, fostering and adoption, juvenile delinquency, custody and maintenance of children, children with disability, the prevention of accidents, the role of the mass media, paedophilia, where much legislation was needed and emarginated people.

Dr Chircop said the overriding principle was that children should come first The rights of the child were far from being assured in Malta and this sector had not developed as fast as other areas. Many children were falling victim to domestic violence and they were not adequately protected when marriages collapsed or ran into financial trouble.

More needed to be done for children in single parent families, and children who were adopted and fostered.

Children had to be recognised as being individuals with their own rights.

The bill should provide for the drawing up of policies to meet the different needs of children in the various regions of Malta and to strengthen the collation of data on children, so that problems could be anticipated and tackled early.

There needed to be a multi-disciplinary but coordinated approach, and in this context he felt that the Council for Children should include direct representation of youths.

The Commissioner for Children needed to have the legal backing to ensure that his recommendations were actually enforced.

The drafting of legislation should include child impact assessment on the lines of gender impact assessments.

Dr Chircop insisted that the right to free schooling at all levels should be retained.

Children and youths should be made aware of their rights and the services available to them.

Dr Chircop said more people needed to be encouraged to specialise in areas which involved children, such as child psychology and social work as well as the medical and legal professions.

The Labour MP said children should be encouraged to take an interest in developments around them and not just concentrate on their studies. They should be encouraged to speak their mind. Values, including political and religious tolerance, should be instilled in them from an early age.

Clearly, there should not be any discrimination among children. It was disconcerting to note that in private schools, there were twice as many boys as there were girls, leading one to think that many families were investing in sons more than daughters.

Dr Chircop called for more intensive efforts to discourage young people from taking drugs, including better funding for NGOs and agencies such as Caritas and Seqda, to enable them to better plan their programmes.

It was also important that the Commissioner for Children had the funding and resources needed for him to be effective.

While the opposition would vote in favour of this bill, it would have hoped that it was broader and more detailed, Dr Chircop said.

Other speakers will be reported tomorrow.