Ronke Samo
Human Rights campaign organization Known as Amnesty International, has trained Southwest Journalists from Ekiti, Ondo, Ogun and Oyo States with the knowledge, tools and strategies essential for promoting human rights.
Anne Chukwunwike of Amnesty International said the mission of the organisation is to wage wars against human rights abuses and injustice in the country and not to fight the government.
He stated this in Ibadan at a two-day training for journalists drawn from Ekiti, Ondo, Ogun and Oyo States, on how human rights violations in Nigeria could be addressed.
Chukwunwike added that the training became necessary in order to equip journalists with the knowledge, tools and strategies essential for promoting human rights.
She said the organization believed that the voices of marginalized Nigerians whose rights have been violated could be amplified by the media.
“We are not fighting the government. Our concern is basically that the rights of Nigerians are protected and properly managed. Amnesty uses research and advocacy to push for human rights to be enjoyed by all. We don’t fight anybody but injustice. We are pushing that people’s rights are protected. We are championing human rights because it affects all of us. The need to cascade human right discourse down to the grassroots is the reason for this training. The media is the voice that the people listen to”, she said.
Also speaking at the training which is tagged ‘Strengthening Human Rights Reporting in the Southwest’, the Social Media Communication Officer of the organization, Michael Christian described the media as a potent agent of social change which can help amplify the narratives on human rights issues in the country.
Christian who said the media have the power to shape public opinion, set agenda and champion human rights urged the media to uncover critical human right breaches while also adhering to ethical standards.
The training lectures which focused on areas such as the evolving role of the journalist in defending democracy and human rights, the journalist as a human right advocate, and investigative journalism in a climate of impunity, among others were delivered by investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, Richard Akinnola, Arthur-Martins Aginam and Kabiru Danladi, among other resource persons.
Dandladi while speaking urged journalists to adhere to the ethics of journalism warned against gratification journalism which he said could taint the integrity of the media.
He said once the integrity of journalists is compromised, their reports also lose credibility.
Soyombo who spoke on ‘Investigative Journalism in a climate of impunity’ shared his experiences and highlighted the risks that are involved in advocating for human rights.
Akinnola who recalled his experiences as a journalist stressed the need to always engage in fact-check on all human right issues.
