The United Nations' Committee on the Rights of the Child lashed out atbroadcasters and the press in its report examining the UK's progress onprotecting children's rights.
The committee said the UK government needed to work with the media toaddress "the intolerance and inappropriate characterisation of children,especially adolescents" by the media. It also questioned thegovernment's policy of naming and shaming under-16s who are givenantisocial behaviour orders (Asbos) in the press.
Carolyne Willow, national co-ordinator of the Children's Rights Alliancefor England, said: "It's a disgrace that ministers have allowed, evenencouraged, the media and local agencies to name and shame children withAsbos."
Ginny Lunn, policy and development director at The Prince's Trust, whichis running a campaign to promote positive media coverage called Changethe Record, said: "If young people are continually named and shamed bythe media as layabouts, losers and junkies, there is a real danger thatthey will believe they can't do anything different."
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