South African media are guided by a number of legal and ethical frameworks when reporting on children, examples include Section 28.2 of the Bill of Rights of the South African Constitution and the Criminal Procedure Amendment Act. Ethically, if the media are not bound by the Press Code of Ethics and Conduct for South African Print and Online Media, then they are bound by their own media’s press codes as well as other acceptable standards of journalistic practices when reporting on children. Further, South Africa is a signatory to the United Nations Convention of the Rights of Children (UNCRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) which promote children’s rights to freedom of expression, dignity and privacy, among other rights.

Report by Media Monitoring Africa