Honouring the legacy of late journalist Khelen Thokchom on his 64th Birth Anniversary, a two-day media workshop was inaugurated on Sunday at the Manipur Press Club, Imphal.
The event, organised by the Khelen Thokchom Trust (KTT) with the support of the Manipur Committee for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR) and the Manipur State Legal Services Authority (MASLSA), opened with a candle light and floral tributes to the renowned journalist.
Addressing the inaugural function, MCPCR chairperson Keisham Pradipkumar highlighted an alarming trend on social media, where videos involving interviews or depictions of children’s hardships are being shared for fundraising.
While these social media actions may be well-intentioned, he stressed that from a child rights perspective, they constitute a serious violation.
Pradipkumar also emphasised the psychological impact of conflict on children, noting that as many as 25,000 children are currently internally displaced in Manipur due to the ongoing crisis.
He explained that trauma in children often lasts much longer than in adults and urged the media to focus on child rights issues, which have been largely overshadowed by coverage of Manipur’s political crisis.
The workshop aims to equip journalists with a better understanding of child rights in conflict situations and legal reporting, promoting ethical and responsible journalism in these challenging times.
On the first day of the workshop, advocate Thiyam Rajkishore and journalist Leivon Jimmy Lamkang led a session on the topic “Protection of Child Rights in Conflict.” The second day will feature EGM secretary Yumnam Rupachandra and advocate Hijam Chandrakumar, who will speak on “Legal Reporting.”
The programme also witnessed the presence of AMWJU president Bijoy Kakchingtabam, EGM president Khogendra Khomdram, advisor of KTT and chief editor of Imphal Free Press Irengbam Arun and president of KTT Thokchom Memcha Devi as presidium members.