The National Human Rights Commission ( NHRC ) has advocated the need for the protection of journalists and media practitioners who have continued to hold government and public officers accountable to the people.
Its Executive Secretary of the Commission, Tony Ojukwu,said this in Abuja during a capacity building training for the journalists and staff of corporate affairs and external linkages of the commission.
The training with the theme ” Defending the Rights of Journalists and Media Practitioners Through National Safety Mechanisms ” was aimed at working out a modality and rub minds on the hazards of journalism profession and how to navigate through them and still come out stronger as the mirror of the society.
Ojukwu expressed dismay at the way and manner journalists’ rights were being violated and trampled upon for no just cause by the state, non-state actors and individuals who are not comfortable with the certain investigative journalism.
He said the training would enable the participants to understand safety’ mechanisms which they needed to survive in any situation in the line of their duty.
According to him:” It cannot be gainsaid that safety of journalists has been a growing concern in the country and elsewhere in the world, given that some journalists operate under difficult conditions where freedom of expression and the press is relegated to the background. In such climes , the issue of censorship, harassment, unlawful arrest and detention and assassination are not uncommon.
” On our part as a commission saddle with the responsibility of protecting the rights of citizens, including journalists, we will continue to engage with stakeholders to ensure that human rights are adequately protected at all times.
” In view of the foregoing, capacity building training like the one we are witnessing today is very crucial because journalists who are the agents of change and promoters of good governance should be exposed to capacity building training to enable them understand safety mechanisms which they need to survive in any situation and pragmatically discharge their duties effectively.
He noted that the training would help in sharpening the skills and knowledge of journalists and staff of the commission in the use of social media in promoting human rights.
