Our Commitment to Ethical Storytelling
There is a movement of non-profits and people to tell better stories in the development world. We want to share multi-dimensional, nuanced updates that honor all parties involved. We are committed to constituent first, donor second storytelling, and as a result, have signed the following pledge.
We pledge to:
Tell others’ stories the way we want our story told.
Always put people first.
Explain to constituents the purpose of the story, where it will be used and answer any questions they might have before photographing, filming or recording.
Find an able translator if we speak different languages.
Ask the constituent if they wish to be named or identified and act according to their wishes. Use all images and messages with the full understanding, participation and permission of the constituent or the constituent’s legal guardian.
Uphold the dignity of our constituents through empowering imagery and messages that motivate engagement and inspire hope.
Truthfully represent a situation or story to educate our audiences of the realities, complexities and nuances of the issues we advocate for.
Not use images, footage or words that sensationalize or stereotype a person or a situation.
Ask for feedback from our constituents and incorporate this feedback into the final story.
Abide by international law, standards and protocols related to vulnerable persons, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
Listen to our constituents’ voices and respect their decisions, story and journey.Hold a posture of humility and learning, recognizing that failures can be our biggest educators.
Seek advice if we question whether a particular story, message or image is not in alignment with ethical storytelling practices.
Not tell the story, despite the resources invested, when the story cannot be told with the integrity of this pledge.
Take ownership of our responsibility to uphold integrity in our storytelling and messaging.
As a community of nonprofit practitioners and storytellers we commit to learning from the past and integrating a new standard of storytelling as we journey together into the future.
For more information, check out: http://ethicalstorytelling.com
