Free, diverse and independent media are essential in any society to promote and protect freedom of opinion and expression and other human rights. Independent media constitute one of the cornerstones of a democratic society by facilitating the free flow of information and ideas on matters of general interest and ensuring transparency and accountability.
Recently, Addis Ababa University conducted a short-training for journalists at Adama Town. The training focused on the role of media in the promotion and protection of human rights of vulnerable groups. On the training, Nigussie Meshesha (PhD), a former journalism lecturer at Addis Ababa University and now the CEO of the Walta Television, said that media must bring the people to mediation. Journalists should work to safeguard human rights in a manner that the social, political, economic and cultural integrity of the country are well respected and protected.
He added that the media in a society are instrumental to the promotion of human rights. They can disseminate human rights information, mobilize human rights NGOs, strengthen population in civil society, promote tolerance, and shine a light on the proper performances of the government.
According to him, the news and programs disseminated by the media can have profound influence in promoting the human rights; hence, media ought to carry out their duties in a responsible manner. Moreover, they ought to deliver accurate and unbiased information to meet the divergent needs of the heterogeneous public. The social responsibility of the media is fostered when the media is engaged in “committed journalism” which would best manifest itself when the media undertaken to be the public watchdog, Dr. Nigussie noted.
In addition, media have the social responsibility that arose as a result of the ability of the media to influence the belief, ideas and behavior of the people on very important issues. “The impact of the media in society is tremendous,” he said
As to him, if the media are used in irresponsible manner, they could induce large scale of human rights violations through hate speech and violence. For instance, he the Rwanda Genocide which occurred in 1994 is a typical case of where the media were involved in perpetrating hatred and violence, especially against an ethnic minority.
According to the Council of European Union the media are generally considered to have certain social obligations like social responsibility and accountability, freedom of the press. Most importantly, media have a vital role in providing special protection for vulnerable groups. These are women and girls, children, refugees, internationally displaced persons, stateless individuals, national minorities, migrant workers, disable and HIV positive persons.
In 2014,Council of European Union stated that an open society based on the rule of law can only operate effectively if there is an independent and pluralistic media environment offline and online. A free, diverse and independent press and other media provide public platforms that are essential to any society to ensure freedom of opinion and expression and the enjoyment of other human rights.
Mesfin Abate, a journalist at Amhara Mass Media Agency, said, “We as professionals should do appropriate reporting for the public and we have a social responsibility so we have to promote human rights through providing necessary protection for the vulnerable groups.”
Abubeker Ali, a journalist at Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation, said that journalists should stand for the human rights. “And we have to set human rights agenda for the benefit of the general public rights through awareness creation,” he added.
In order to contribute towards the prevention of these massive human rights violations, the media have to come up with effective plan to bring behavioral change of the public. One of the most effective strategies of addressing these problems is engagement of the media with governmental and nongovernmental organizations whose objective is advocating the rights of women, children, peoples with disables and other vulnerable groups. So far, national human rights institutions are collaborating with the media for such purpose, Dr. Nigussie said.
The Ethiopian Herald November12, 2019
BY ESSEYE MENGISTE
