The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has a long and unfortunate history. Few countries on earth have faced more heartache. More people have died from the effects of war in the DRC (over 5 million people) than from any other conflict since the Second World War.

While a relative peace has returned to much of the country since signing peace accords in 2003, parts of the country—especially Eastern DRC—are still highly volatile. Human rights abuses of all kinds are still commonplace.

Responding to an urgent call for more human rights efforts there, jhr opened an office in the DRC in early 2008, based in the capital city Kinshasa. jhr's work in the DRC is focused on working alongside local journalists, editors, owners and NGOs to facilitate the following activities:

• Monthly workshop series
• Workshops with students
• Small grants program for local NGOs
• Fellowships for local journalists
• Yearly Human Rights Reporting Awards
• Human Rights Reporting Network

While it is still very early into jhr's work in the DRC, we are confident our project will have great success. The potential for Rights Media to play a transformative role in the DRC is enormous — and jhr is proud to be playing its part.

Brought to the worlds attention by the Hollywood movie 'Blood Diamond', the people of Sierra Leone suffered mightily during its decade-long civil war. Following tens of thousands of deaths, the displacement of more than 2 million people (one-third of the population) and innumerable atrocities, including wide-spread rape and the forced recruitment of child soldiers, the war officially ended in 2002.

Since then, Sierra Leone has enjoyed a fragile peace. While the government has been relatively stable, much more needs to be done to strengthen and rebuild the nation's developing democracy. Human rights abuses remain omnipresent—the UNDP ranked it last in the world in the protection of women’s rights.

jhr recognized the potential impact that Rights Media could have in Sierra Leone and began a small pilot project there in 2005. Based on our successes there and feedback from local media and human rights groups, jhr started a full five-year program there in 2007. jhr now works across Sierra Leone and alongside local journalists, editors, owners and NGOs to facilitate the following activities:

• Formal Workshops
• Student Workshops
• Daily on-the-job training
• Informal Workshops
• Human Rights Reporting Awards
• Human Rights Reporting Network
• Small Grants
• Journalism Fellowships

jhr is very proud of its successes in spreading human rights across Sierra Leone. To learn more about our impact there, please click here. To read some of the work that jhr trainers have produced in Sierra Leone, please click here. jhr is very proud of the part it is playing in helping to rebuild this wonderful country.

After has a most unique - and tragic - history. Founded by freed American slaves returning to Africa, it was ruled for over a century by an elite class of 'Americo-Liberians' (descendents of the freed slaves). Fed up, native Liberians rebelled, starting a long-string of events that led to a 14 year civil war, devastating the country. Since the official end of war in 2003, Liberia thankfully experienced many positive developments, including the election of Africa's first female Head of State.

Despite some positive developments, the country is still rebuilding and human rights abuses are still commonplace.

jhr responded to calls for improved human rights awareness in Liberia by starting a five-year project there in the fall of 2008. All of our projects in Liberia will be facilitate by the Liberia Media Centre (LMC), a local NGO and jhr's lead partner on the ground. jhr, in partnership with the LMC, is working alongside local journalists, editors, owners and NGOs to facilitate the following activities:

• Formal Workshops
• Student Workshops
• Daily on-the-job training
• Informal Workshops
• Human Rights Reporting Awards
• Train the Trainers
• Training at Community Radio
• Human Rights Reporting Network

While it's still early into our project there, jhr is very proud to be working in Liberia. We are confident jhr's project will have a huge impact in ending rights abuses there.

jhr is currently running a short-term project in Malawi and Zambia, sending young Canadian journalists there on eight month internships as part of a project sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

jhr measures its impact of this project differently than it measures success in its other, longer-term projects. Here, jhr is focused on the impact on both our local partners and on maximizing the life experience of the interns we send.

Through this project jhr adds values to local media houses, NGO's and development organization by providing them with experienced Canadian interns to lend a helping hand.

While neither Zambia or Malawi are 'post-conflict' countries like many of the others jhr works in, both still have tremendous human rights challenges. jhr's local partners in Malawi and Zambia include:

Malawi:

• MISA, Media Institute of Southern Africa
• The Nation
• The Daily Times
• Zodiak Broadcasting

Zambia:

• The Big Issue
• Panos
• The Monitor
• Zamcom
• The Southern Guardian
• Breeze FM
• ZaCoMef

Ghana was jhr's first 5-year program, with activities beginning in 2003 and wrapping up in May 2008.

After several decades of coups and military leadership, Ghana's constitution was adopted in 1992. While the country has long been an example of positive democratic development in West Africa, many challenges remain with regards to local awareness of human rights and social justice.

To help address these issues, jhr worked alongside local journalists, editors, owners and NGOs to facilitate the following activities:

• Formal Workshops
• Student Workshops
• Daily on-the-job training
• Informal Workshops
• Human Rights Reporting Awards
• Train the Trainers
• Human Rights Reporting Network

jhr handed off many of its programs to local journalism associations and organizations, including the Human Rights Reporting Award, Train-the-Trainers and the Human Rights Reporting Network.