Every choice is a preference: Are you with the children?

Every day, we produce and consume dozens of pieces of content. We come across campaigns, share on social media, and prepare announcements, visuals, and slogans.

But how do these contents affect children?

The language we use, the images we choose, and the representations we create can either empower children or trap them in stereotypes. We can position children as subjects or turn them into passive figures.

At this point, Suna’s Daughters makes an important reminder: The issues children face are not individual but societal. Therefore, this responsibility belongs to all of us.

Do you know Suna’s Daughters?

You may have heard of Suna’s Daughters through the child life centers they established after February 6 in Adıyaman, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, and Şanlıurfa. You may have also come across workshops they conducted in collaboration with different civil society organizations. Or maybe you are encountering them for the first time with this article. Since the opportunity has arisen, let us briefly explain:

Since 2021, Suna’s Daughters has been working with girls to ensure their access to education. However, they don’t just develop programs; they also aim to spread a way of thinking and producing that centers on children’s rights.

Because Suna’s Daughters believes the problems children face should be addressed with a systemic and holistic approach that includes all the actors responsible for these issues. One of the significant outcomes of this approach is the Child-Centered Communication Guide.

So, what does child-centered communication mean?

A child-centered approach firstly recognizes that children are equal to adults, and this recognition asserts that children are rights-holders, that they have special needs due to being in a unique stage of development, and therefore they have specific rights. Along with this, the approach means to:

• Accept children as rights-holding individuals,
• Consider children’s needs and realities when producing content,
• Anticipate possible impacts and take responsibility,
• Make children’s voices visible and heard.

A control mechanism for every content

The Child-Centered Communication Guide offers a concrete roadmap for teams and agencies working in marketing, corporate communications, branding, social media, and event management. With the questions “Who? What? Why? To whom? And how?” it allows communication materials to be evaluated from a children’s rights perspective. It encourages putting children’s rights at the heart of all communication processes, from advertising to social media sharing, from promotional texts to the use of visuals.

It also raises the following questions:

• Are alternative representations of children possible?
• Can we break away from stereotypical roles?
• Can we consult children in communication processes?
• How can we strengthen a child-centered perspective not just for our brand but for society?
• How can we transform our organizational culture in this direction?

Child rights-focused communication is not just about reducing risks; it also means contributing to social transformation.

Everyone working in communication holds significant power. Every piece of content we produce is a choice. And it is possible to make this choice in favor of the best interests of children.

We believe we can establish a communication language that empowers children’s rights.