Amnesty International trains Journalists on Human Rights Sensitive reportage
The Amnesty International has organized a 2-Day capacity workshop on Human Rights Centred Journalism for Southeast and Delta State Journalists.
The event which was held in Enugu was aimed at exposing Journalists to the need for human rights and gender sensitive reportage so as to be able to protect human rights and to write with gender lens.
The Media and Communications Officer, Amnesty International, Mr. Christian Micheal in his opening remarks said that the essence of the workshop was to equip journalists with the right knowledge as to be able to work professionally through the human rights lens with accurate information while protecting the dignity of victims.
He said, “many times amateur journalists in their reports expose victims especially minors then absent mindedly shielding the crime perpetrators and thereby giving a wrong narrative to the public.
“Nigeria Amnesty International is building a team of Journalists in the country, who will stand up to ensure justice for human rights abuses.
“We have been to the South-west, North-Central, South-south and presently the South-East”.
The workshop according to Mr. Michael covered five key areas, namely: press freedom, professional ethics, gender sensitivity, safety and security of practitioners and legal protection.
He affirmed the commitment of Amnesty International to provide support for any journalist arrested in their line of duties.
Professor Chijioke Agbo a facilitator from Enugu State University of Science and Technology while teaching the convergence on “press freedom and the law: Navigating legal risks in Journalism” said that Journalism is a profession powered by passion that is made to address the issues of humanity and the state.
He added that it is a historic assignment that must not be avoided by journalists because the public is looking up to them.
He commended Amnesty International for living up to expectation by publishing books and organizing trainings.
He, therefore, enjoined Journalists to endeavour to read some of their publications so that together a Nigeria where no man is oppressed could be a reality.
Prof. Agbo urged the Journalists not to be discouraged by the fear of arrest in their course for the defense of the truth, while enjoining them to go for collaborations with different agencies to be able to fight unlawful detention and other challenges in their profession.
The Programme Consultant, Mr. Mustapha Mohammed, lamented that many Journalists do not even know their professional rights,
He called on the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) to partner Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and others and organize seminars to sensitize Nigerians on their human rights.
Dr. Anne Agi, a law lecturer from the University of Calabar, who was one of the facilitators dwelt on Practicing Journalists with gender leens.
She enjoined Journalists to own their voices, adding that it could be the last hope of the voiceless.
“Let your work defend the truth always” Dr. Agi said.
The workshop had in attendance members of the Amnesty International group, other Facilitators- Hajia Zainab Okino who took Journalists on Journalism Theory and Practice from the Human Rights Perspective, Dr. Kabiru Danladin who Facilitated on Applying Media Ethics in Daily Practice from the Code of Conduct and Mr. John Omilabu who explored practical safety strategies for Journalists to use while reporting under threat, the Participants.
