Photographing children ethically: a guide for organisations

Children appear in a large share of development communications, from school feeding to immunisation. They are also the people least able to understand where an image might travel, or to object to it years later. The Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a child as every human being below the age of 18, and says the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration in all actions concerning children.¹

The Convention also protects children from arbitrary or unlawful interference with their privacy, family and home, and gives every child who can form views the right to express them freely in all matters affecting them.¹ Photographing children ethically means taking both rights seriously: protecting their privacy, and listening to what they want.

The most widely used reference is UNICEF's ethical reporting guidelines. They start from two principles: the dignity and rights of every child are to be respected in every circumstance, and the best interests of each child are to be prioritised over any other consideration.²

Two rules matter most for photographers. First, do not publish a story or an image that might put the child, their siblings or peers at risk, even when identities are changed.² Second, no staging: do not ask children to tell a story or take an action that is not part of their own history.² Asking a child to look sad for the camera, or to act out an event, breaks both rules.

The World Press Photo code of ethics reminds photographers that freedom of expression has to be balanced against a child's right to privacy.³ Obscuring identity means more than blurring a face. Photograph from behind, use silhouettes, show hands at work, or frame a child small within a wide scene. Decide this before the shoot: an image designed for anonymity looks better, and carries less stigma, than a face blurred in the edit.

Where there is a risk or potential risk of harm or retribution, UNICEF extends protection to other children, including asylum seekers, refugees and internally displaced children.² In every case, UNICEF says to always change the name and obscure the visual identity of any child identified as:²

• a victim of sexual abuse or exploitation
• a perpetrator of physical or sexual abuse
• living with HIV or AIDS, unless the child, a parent or a guardian gives fully informed consent
• charged with or convicted of a crime
• a child combatant holding a weapon

Bond's guidelines on ethical content describe a practice some organisations follow: a story includes only one of a recognisable face, a full real name or an exact location.⁴ Bond notes that it is usual never to publish a child's exact location, and that some NGOs have chosen not to use any recognisable images of children at all.⁴

Location leaks through details. Bond warns against identifying features such as school uniforms, landscape or signage, and against captions that give an exact location or a parent's surname.⁴ It also advises switching off the location (GIS) setting on every camera, so that image files hold no retrievable information on where contributors live.⁴ Check phones and drones too.

Child safeguarding photography is as much about behaviour on set as about the final image. Bond states that at no time should any member of the story production team be left alone with a child, and that a designated child protection focal point should be among the staff involved.⁴ Visitors and media representatives should follow the same code of conduct as staff.⁴

UNICEF asks reporters to do no harm, avoiding questions, attitudes or comments that are judgemental, and to make sure a child would not be endangered or adversely affected by showing their home or community.² In our own practice, we keep sessions short, let children take breaks, work where a trusted adult can see us, and stop if a child seems uncomfortable.

Consent for photos of children has two parts: permission from a parent or guardian, and the child's own agreement. UNICEF asks for permission from both, obtained without coercion and in the child's language.² In Rwanda, Law No. 058/2021 on the protection of personal data and privacy requires the consent of the holder of parental responsibility to process the personal data of a child under 16, given in the child's interest.⁵

Bond recommends involving children themselves from about the age of seven or eight, and retiring images of children, or renewing consent, after three years or at 18, whichever comes first.⁴ World Press Photo asks that information about consent is indicated in the caption.³ Our guide to informed consent covers forms and process in detail.

Protection continues long after the shoot. Bond advises storing consent records securely and keeping them out of reach of everyone who uses the content, because they often contain names, places and contact details.⁴ Keep original files in a restricted folder and share edited images with location data removed.

If you hire photographers, agencies or partners, the duty of care goes with the work. The Keeping Children Safe standards say organisations have a duty of care to children they work with or who are affected by their work, and a responsibility to help partners meet minimum requirements on protection.⁶ Write these expectations into the brief and the contract.

• Purpose of each image agreed, with the child's best interests checked
• Consent from a parent or guardian, and agreement from the child
• Identity hidden for every child UNICEF lists as needing protection
• Never a face, full name and exact location together
• Geotagging off on cameras, phones and drones
• No adult alone with a child, and a focal point on the shoot
• No staged emotions or re-enactments
• A retirement or renewal date set for every image