Media’s human right’s obligations

Posted: 4 May 2007 | News - Newsletter | Categories:

It may be fair to assume that the relationship between media and human rights is that media reports on human rights issues. But this is only half the picture. Media also has a role in upholding human rights issues in their reporting. This obligation is two-fold, in that the audience should be educated about their rights and human rights issues in general, but in doing so, media also should also be careful not to violate human rights when covering vulnerable groups.

URGENT ACTION NEEDED!!

The Media Monitoring Project’s general strategy on human rights in the media is to raise awareness, develop positive relationships with media and educate both media audiences and journalists. However, a South African newspaper has published a feature against human rights conventions that urgent action is required to oppose it. Children were drugged, raped, filmed and then pictures of them were published in a daily newspaper, which reveal their identities.

So the MMP is submitting a complaint to the Press Ombudsman and would like YOU to sign a petition to mark your disapproval against this gross abuse of children’s rights. Go to MAD OAT for the details or to the online petition.

Please note, the picture here has been obscured to protect the child’s identity.

Children’s rights are human rights

The Media Monitoring Project has noticed a number of human rights abuses by the media against children in the last few weeks. This despite the fact that we will commemorate Human Rights Day on 21 March, the same day when our Constitution was signed which, stipulates in Article 28 (2) ‘A child’s best interests are of paramount importance in every matter concerning the child.’

Supporting women’s rights

The Media Monitoring Project, along with the Southern African Media and Gender Institute have started a project to improve gender-based violence campaigns by examining past and present campaigns from organisations based in South Africa and Namibia.

How is your issue covered in the media?

The Media Monitoring Project now provides radio clippings! Contact us for copies of programmes from 702 Talk Radio; Classic FM; Highveld Stereo; Kaya FM; Lesedi FM (Sesotho); Metro FM; Motsweding FM (Tswana); Radio Sonder Grense (Afrikaans); SAFM; Thobela FM (Sepedi); Ukhozi FM (IsiZulu); and Umhlobo Wenene (IsiXhosa). Special rates for NGOs.