Addis Abeba — Ethiopian Media Women Association (EMWA) in association with Kenyan, Tanzanian and Ugandan counterparts launched on Monday the first ever regional media code of conduct on reporting child sexual abuse and exploitation.

The launch follows a two-day training for trainers program arranged for local journalists, intended to enhance their understanding of the issues affecting children, child sexual abuse and exploitation, and of the ways to exercise while reporting those matters in a manner that it doesn't impinge on children's basic rights as stipulated in the code of conduct.

During the training, journalists raised questions and debated on the articles of the code of conduct they believed needed clarification.

They said the language and concept of some parts in the conduct was vague. The journalists' doubts were heeded by the legal consultant and the partaker on the preparation of the code of conduct Debebe Hailegebriel who said he admits an annex would be necessary to elaborate some sections of the code of conduct.

EMWA executive directress Abebech Wolde her association tried to assess if there was a code of conduct regarding the report of child abuse and exploitation in vain. She said the prefect was initiated about two years ago before the actual work started. The code of conduct was prepared with the support of OAK foundation and it will be practical in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

It has English and Amharic versions and has four articles. And it will be distributed for media organizations.

Some 25 NGOs working on Children, embers of private and state media organizations, child book writers, the police and other concerned bodies discussed on the preparation of the code of conduct the Directress told for The Daily Monitor.