-OHCHR, INCHR take the initiative
Thirty-five (35) Liberian journalists have completed a two-day capacity building trainings initiated by the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR), with support from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
The training, which took place in Buchanan city 88 miles from Monrovia this week, Grand Bassa County marks the end of series of workshops that were conducted in four phases, with over 200 selected participants from media institutions including community radio stations across Liberia’s 15 political sub-divisions.
Speaking at the opening of the two days training, Dr. Sonny Onyegbula who heads Programs at the United Nations office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said there has been limited training for journalists on human rights issues in Liberia.
Dr. Sonny Onyegbula
Dr. Sonny informed journalists that even those that have been trained need to be refreshed on their knowledge and reporting of human rights issues. According to Dr. Sonny post-conflict nations such as Liberia, there is always need for the media to benefit from training bordering on human rights, justice and the rule of law so that their reportage reflect respect for human rights, adequately address violations of such rights from angles that are objective, accurate, and balanced.
Giving highlights on the importance of the training he called on the media to take human rights issues as their own and provide a way forward that will help Liberia to be a state free from the violation of human rights.
The first phases of the training took place in Margibi County which brought together journalists from Bomi, Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount and Margibi counties while the second was held in Bong County, and brought together reporters from Lofa, Nimba, Grand Gedeh and Bong Counties and the third phase of the training was held in Nimba County, where Journalists from Sinoe, Grand Kru, Maryland and River Gee.
The journalists were trained in the areas of International Human Rights Principles, Obligations, Standards and Reporting strategies, the news reporting ethics in human rights reporting.
They were as well trained to understand OHCHR’s mandate, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Maputo Protocol, Ratification/Domestication of Conventions on Human Rights, and Liberian Constitution/Laws and media ethics & the role of the media in promoting, protecting human rights, Gender Mainstreaming in Human Rights Reporting”, Convention on Disabilities, Convention on torture.
Accordingly, the INCHR selected some of the best in the Liberian media, the legal profession and human rights organization to facilitate the two days training.
Journalist Franks Sainworla presenting on the topic media ethics and Human rights indicated that Human rights issues are sensitive and need to be treated with care.
“The main definition of human rights reporting is morality” he said in his soft tone.
Speaking additionally, he intoned that ethics must go in line with the laws of the land.
The trained Liberian media executive whose during his presentation was very practical stressed the need for journalists to endeavor as possible to apply ethics in their daily journalistic reportage.
Siatta Scott-Johnson, President of the Female Journalist Association of Liberia in a presentation said the role of the media in gender main streaming has been over emphasized and requires necessary action.
The FeJAL boss said the root causes of Sexual and Gender Based Violence in gender imbalance adding that the media must highlight the rights of vulnerable group such as women, children, and people living with disabilities in term of access to health, education food, water and shelter.
Mrs. Scott-Johnson said the median must be an important factor in promoting the rights of every human across the country.
The Objectives of the trainings was to enhance the capacity of journalists to report on human rights issues, ensure human rights issues form part of the national discourse by media practitioners in the country; and improve human rights education specific locations.
Journalists who attended the two days training as well discussed means of revamping the Human Rights Journalist Association of Liberia.
The Human Rights Journalist Association of Liberia is an institution established years back to focus on propagating the rights of people in the Liberian Republic, but the institution has since gone into dormancy.