Voices against child labour: A media competition

This media competition is more than just a contest; it’s a call to action for media professionals and students to contribute their voices and skills to a crucial global cause, leveraging their influence to make a real difference in the fight against child labour.

Objectives:

Awareness and advocacy: To increase public awareness and understanding of the complexities and realities of child labour in Africa.
Engagement and empowerment: To engage and empower local communities, activists, and media personnel to contribute to the fight against child labour.
Showcase best practices: To highlight innovative and effective strategies being employed across Africa to combat child labour.
Encourage positive change: To inspire action and advocacy at both the grassroots and policy levels through compelling storytelling.

Themes:

The realities of child labour in Africa
On-line and off-line technology innovations in eradicating child labour in Africa
Gender perspectives in child labour in Africa
Community-led solutions to child labour in Africa
The role of supply chain actors in combating child labour in Africa: Focus should be on the Cocoa, Coffee, Cotton, Tea and Gold Mining Supply chains.

Eligibility:

Eligibility is extended to journalists, filmmakers, photographers, and media professionals from Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, and Egypt who are employed by either African or international media outlets focusing on African topics. Additionally, students from these specified countries who are enrolled in any African university, whether within their home country or abroad, are also welcome to participate.
Participants must be above 18 years old.
Participants can participate in a maximum of 2 of the following areas : video, written media, photo stories.
All entries must be accompanied by the corresponding signed consent forms as attached.
To prepare your participation in this competition, you are recommended to first undertake this ITC-ILO on-line training: SELF-GUIDED COURSE ON REPORTING ON CHILD LABOUR FOR MEDIA (in English)

Submission Guidelines:

Only submissions via email or WeTransfer by email to accel-africa-media@ilo.org will be accepted.
Only submissions with appropriate subject name will be accepted as follows APPLICANT NAME_PROFESSIONAL OR STUDENT_VIDEO/WRITTEN/PHOTOGRAPHY.
The email content should be:

WeTransfer submission for video, attached writing or attached photo stories with descriptive caption;
consent forms ;
CV of the applicant (please indicate your gender)

Written submissions, including articles and essays, should not exceed 800 words.
Video submissions must be no longer than 7 minutes.
A participant may submit up to two entries across the available categories.
All entries must focus on one or more of the specified thematic areas related to child labour in Africa.
Entries must be original and recently developed (from June 2023 to the date of submission), if entries have been published, a notification of consent for the re-publication and use of the publication by the ILO.
Entries can be submitted in French, English or Local Languages. However, submissions not in English or French must include a translation or subtitles in one of these languages. The translated version will be considered for judging. Participants are responsible for the accuracy and quality of their translations.
The quality and presentation of submissions are crucial. Entries will be judged based on their appearance and how effectively the submissions convey the themes highlighted above and meet the objectives of the competition through the chosen medium.
Entries must adhere to high journalistic standards, respecting the dignity and rights of individuals, particularly children, portrayed in the stories.

– No sensationalism
– Veracity
– Relevance
– Educational relevance
– Safeguards
– Protection

Consider the following guides to guide the development of your submission:

Child labour: A practical guide for journalists
GUIDELINES CHILD LABOUR
Ethical and quality reporting on child labour
Child Labour: A Practical Guide for Journalists – TIP SHEET

Submissions containing harmful, misleading, defamatory, or inappropriate content, or promoting illegal activities, will be disqualified.

Criteria:

Level of ethical journalism
Story of impact / story of change following a hero from child labour to decent work
Originality and creativity
Quality of content and presentation
Impact potential in raising awareness and prompting action.

Awards:

Grand Prize:

One (1) journalist will be invited to attend and report on the ILO’s “Knowledge Sharing Forum: Innovative Solutions to Reduce Child Labour and Forced Labour in Africa” in Nairobi, Kenya, in May 2024. This is your chance to shine on a regional stage and amplify your voice on a significant cause.
The ILO will cover all travel expenses and provide daily allowances in line with organizational policies, ensuring a comfortable and enriching experience.
The winner will also participate in the subsequent knowledge sharing and capacity-building event (described below) further enhancing its capacity to continue to report on child labour.

Top Journalists:

A maximum of the best 10 participants, representing a balance of genders, will be invited to a dynamic knowledge sharing and capacity development event in Kampala, Uganda, in October 2024. This is an unparalleled opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with like-minded professionals.
Travel and daily expenses for these journalists will be fully sponsored by the ILO, adhering to organizational guidelines, to ensure a focus on learning and collaboration.

Visibility:

The winning entries, as well as other top entries, will be featured on the ILO’s website, ILO social media sites, and may be used in future ILO workshops, trainings and events.
The winners of the competition agree that their name and winning entry, including pictures and videos, will be used in post-contest publicity and training material developed by the ILO.
Decisions on the awards are final and without appeal.

Judging Criteria:

a) Insightfulness and awareness:

Depth of investigation: Entries must demonstrate thorough research and understanding of child labour issues within Africa, showcasing the intricacies and challenges faced by children in forced labour situations.
Innovative solutions: Submissions should not only highlight problems but also suggest or showcase innovative and feasible solutions being implemented to combat child labour in Africa.

b) Ethical and Sensitive Reporting:

Accuracy and fairness: Submissions must be factually accurate, providing a balanced view that respects the dignity and rights of the children involved. Special care must be taken to avoid sensationalism.
Protection of vulnerable subjects: Extra attention must be paid to safeguarding the identities and well-being of children featured in the submissions. This includes ensuring that the content does not expose them to further harm or stigmatization.

c) Engagement and Impact:

Public engagement: The entry should have the potential to engage the public and stimulate dialogue about child labour issues, promoting a broader understanding and empathy.
Call to action: Submissions should inspire action, whether at the community level or in influencing policy changes, to address and mitigate child labour.

d) Creative and Compelling Storytelling:

Narrative quality: The storytelling should be compelling, utilizing creative approaches to convey the realities of child labour, humanizing the issue, and connecting with the audience on an emotional level.
Technical excellence: The quality of the media piece, whether written, visual, or audio, should be of high standard, with attention to clarity, composition, and overall presentation.

e) Cultural and Contextual Sensitivity:

Cultural understanding: Entries should demonstrate a deep understanding of the local contexts and cultures they are portraying, respecting and reflecting the diverse realities of African communities.
Positive representation: While acknowledging the challenges, submissions should also highlight the resilience, dignity, and potential of children and communities fighting against child labour.

Timeline:

• Launch Date: March 26
• Submission Deadline: April 30 at 23:59 (Abidjan time)

Intellectual property provisions

Ownership and rights

The entrant retains all intellectual property rights, encompassing both moral and economic rights, in their submission to the “Voices Against Child Labour” competition.

Grant of license

By participating, the entrant grants the International Labour Organization (ILO) a non-exclusive, global, perpetual, irrevocable, and royalty-free license to use, reproduce, modify, publish, distribute, and broadcast, in accordance with the ILO’s Open Access Policy, the submitted entries in any format or medium, for the purposes related to the ILO’s mission and activities.
In any publication or dissemination of the entries, the ILO commits to attributing the work to the entrant in a manner such as “ILO/[Entrant’s Name]”, ensuring due recognition.
The entrant affirms that all visual and audio elements included in their submission are either original works created by the entrant or used with explicit permission from the rights holders. The entrant guarantees that all necessary consents have been obtained for the use of these elements in the context of this competition and for the subsequent use by the ILO as stipulated in these terms.
The entrant asserts that they have procured explicit consent from any individuals identifiable in the submission, ensuring the lawful use of their likenesses in accordance with these terms. In instances where such subjects are legally incapable of providing consent, the entrant confirms that authorization has been obtained from a competent guardian or legal representative.
Should the ILO require, the entrant will furnish the original materials of their submission in high-resolution format.

General conditions

Data use and privacy

By participating, the entrant authorizes the ILO to collect, process, store and otherwise use the entrant’s information (e.g., email, gender, name, title) for competition-related purposes. The entrant’s name and title may also be made publicly available (e.g., lists of participants or results) and contact information may be shared with other participants within the competition.

Adherence to legal and ethical standards

Participants affirm that their submissions to the “Voices Against Child Labour” competition comply with all relevant laws and adhere to the ethical guidelines set forth by their professional associations or societies. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring the protection and dignity of children depicted or involved in the production of their entries.

Miscellaneous

The ILO reserves the right to modify dates, times and locations of the events/competition or to alter any other aspect of the organization of the competition. In particular, the ILO reserves the right not to award prizes or to award other prizes as the ILO deems appropriate in its sole discretion.
By participating, the entrant accepts these conditions and confirms that the information provided is true, accurate, and complete. The entrant must not provide misleading or false information.
The ILO reserves the right to disqualify entries, revoke prizes, and/or take appropriate action if misleading or inaccurate information is discovered, or these terms have not otherwise been complied with, including after a prize has been awarded.

Resolution of disputes

In the event of a dispute arising from participation in the competition, excluding decisions regarding award allocation, participants and the ILO commit to seeking a resolution through amicable, informal negotiations.
Through the competition, the ILO maintains its privileges and immunities accorded to the ILO by virtue of its status as a specialized agency of the United Nations.