UNICEF, IGNOU join hands to develop curriculum on child rights for budding journalists

The UNICEF in association with IGNOU is developing an Open Educational Resources (OER) curriculum on child rights for budding journalists, an official said on Friday.

Academicians from over 15 premier government and private institutes participated in a workshop focused on child rights to create the new courseware and instil a perspective amongst budding and working journalists.

"In the discipline of mass communication and journalism, there are only a handful of institutes that offer courses or programmes on media and children. This scenario requires academia as a major stakeholder to initiate a catalytic action to introduce courses on this area," said Shambhu Nath Singh, School of Journalism, IGNOU.

"The IGNOU-UNICEF initiated model course ware can be adapted as certificate courses, executive courses and part of current full-time curriculum in media and communication institutes for budding and working journalists," he added.

The eminent institutions included Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi University, Lady Sri Ram College, University of Kerala, University of Kolkata, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Central University of Jharkhand, IIMC, IGNOU, Amity University, English & Foreign Languages University, Banaras Hindu University, Indraprastha University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Central University of Assam.

The joint initiative is part of the 30 years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) celebrations this year.