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


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What is Rights Media?

Photo by Katerine Brisebois

jhr believes that a healthy media sector is a prerequisite for a healthy society. To achieve this we provide the platform for local media practitioners to produce effective Rights Media.

Rights Media is the process of writing, collecting, editing, producing and distributing media that creates societal dialogue on human rights issues.

Rights Media mainstreams human rights content into everyday news stories. For instance, a newspaper could create a section specifically on children's rights, or it could encourage its sports, business or even entertainment reporters to cover the human rights angles hidden within their stories.

Rights Media must be both ethical and objective to be effective. The credibility of the media-practitioners, journalists, news outlets and sources involved is crucial. All sides of rights issues - the good and bad - should be explored.

At its best, Rights Media is what the media should be. It is objective, entertaining, informative and life-changing. It shapes the way people see themselves and the outside world. It appeals to our higher instincts, not our base one.

Rights Media is a necessary and vital component of all international development efforts. Without a thriving local journalism sector, there can be no effective means of communication between citizens and their governments. Good governance and respect for human rights depends on effective media that has the ability to create and inspire real change.

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 Denison High School

City: Newmarket, Ontario
Started: September 2008
President: Evan Hoyle
Vice President: Gemerdine Maravilla
Recent Event(s): Speak Silence

On November 26 jhr Denison High School participated in Speak Silence, taking a vow of silence from 7am to 4:30pm to raise awareness about those in the world who do not have a voice. The event was a huge success, raising over $650! For more information about the jhr high school program email highschools@jhr.ca.