The Publicity Department of Baoji (a city in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province) Municipal Party (Communist Party of China) Committee and Baoji Women's Federation recently issued the guide to the protection of women and children's rights and interests in interviews and reports.

The guide stipulates reporters should interview women and/or children in a safe, relaxing environment, while the women and/or children's legal guardians or volunteers, who provide rights-protection services to the women and/or children, are present. The guide also stipulates the women and children should remain anonymous or be referred to by assumed names, to minimize the adverse effects (which might be caused by the reports) to them.

The guide stresses media outlets should respect every woman or child's dignity during interviews. The guide also stresses reporters should reflect, objectively and fairly, women and/or children's needs and the various difficulties they face.

According to the guide, media outlets should report, from proper perspectives, on cases involving crimes committed by women, violence against women and/or children, and sexual assaults involving women and/or children. Also, special techniques should be used to protect victims' privacy when the outlets report on them via video or audio programs.

In addition, the guide stresses the outlets should objectively report on women and children, whose rights and/or interests are infringed, rather than exaggerate the details about the infringement of the victims' rights and interests.

(Women of China English Monthly April 2021 issue)