jhr (Journalists for Human Rights) | Mobilizing Media. Changing Lives.


		\| VERSION FRANÇAISE - BIENTÔT DISPONIBLE

GO BACK

The Rights Based Approach

The Rights Based Approach (RBA) is an approach to development that is supported by the UN as an integral means of conducting sustainable development. It is based on international human rights standards and is directed towards promoting, enforcing and protecting the presence of human rights. The aim of the RBA is to integrate established human rights standards into the discussions, policies, conventions, and processes that address development.

To ensure that rights media is effective in creating change, jhr training activities focus on developing the journalism skills required to produce rights media that incorporates elements of the rights based approach.

Rights Media Framework

	The voices of all involved are offered in the story: Rights media ensures that not only the events, but also the voices of those affected by the events are presented in the story.
	Duty bearers and right violators are held accountable: Rights media ensures that those responsible are asked to speak to the rights violation or abuse.
	Journalists do not discriminate when producing a story: Rights media does not discriminate by valuing one human right over another or group of peoples over another.
	The media can empower the public: Rights media is accessible by the communities of those affected by the issue.
	Stories include sources which link the event to human rights: Rights media ensures that human right stories source human right doctrines relevant to the event and community.

jhr travels to Africa with Editor of the Toronto Star

jhrs International Programs Director Rachel Pulfer recently spent three weeks traveling though Ghana and the Democratic Republic of the Congo with the Editor of the Toronto Star, Michael Cooke. Cooke conducted three workshops in Ghana and four workshops in the DRC on topics such as freedom of the press, investigative journalism and good governance. His workshops were attended by three hundred journalists, journalism students, editors and publishers.

Click here to read Rachel's article.

jhr to send 40 more young Canadians to Africa

In collaboration with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), jhr will be sending 40 interns to work with and learn from jhr’s media partners in Malawi and Ghana over the next two years. The internship program serves as a way to give Canadian youth work experience in developing countries. The first group of interns depart in early July, with placements in Star Radio, the Daily Times and Capital Radio in Malawi and Critical TV and the Daily Guide in Ghana.

Social Media is transforming jhr! Get involved!

Social media is completely transforming the media landscape and jhr believes that it can be actively used to spread human rights awareness and incite change. We need you to consume, share, and encourage the production of rights media by blogging, tweeting, or sharing on Facebook, stories which have the real potential to change lives. Where and how do you start?

Click here to find out.

Sarah Bomkapre Kamara

Works for:
Cotton Tree News, Freetown
Country: Sierra Leone
Trained by: Marie-Jo Proulx

Sarah is a radio reporter, producer, and presenter with Cotton Tree News, a project of Fondation Hirondelle, housed in the mass communication department at Fourah Bay College. She is also a regular contributor to the school's Radio Mount Aureol. As part of the jhr fellowship program, she produced a series on the difficulties disabled persons face when trying to access higher education. After she graduates, Sarah would like to work in electronic media as a human rights investigative journalist.

jhr Carleton

City: Ottawa, Ontario
Started: January 2004
Presidents: Zahra Bhumani & Laxmi Parthasarathy
Recent Event(s): 11.15.08. Speak Silence

International Project: Radio Salus, Rwanda

Partnership with community station in Bulare, one of only 12 stations in the country. Works to further integrate Radio Salus with the National University of Rwanda School of Communications and Journalism (NUR-SCJ).