A Toolkit for Journalists Reporting on Gender and Human Rights Issues

“Speak Up, Speak Out: A Toolkit for Reporting on Human Rights Issues” seeks to help journalists and other content creators learn the basics of reporting on women’s and other human rights issues. This handbook was produced by Internews, an international non-profit organization devoted to “empower local media worldwide to give people the news and information they need, the ability to connect and the means to make their voices heard”.

Respect for the rights of women and girls worldwide continues to lag behind that for the rights of men. Domestic and sexual violence, exploitation in the workforce, human trafficking and many other human rights abuses disproportionately affect women and girls. Although 187 nations have acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), many have stipulated that they do not consider themselves bound by certain provisions.

When rights are violated, media can play a vital role in putting a stop to the abuses. Whatever the platform, media raise awareness about violations, inform people about their rights and encourage discussions about the role of governments, legal codes, and international mechanisms to safeguard those rights.

The toolkit combines background information on international human rights mechanisms; guidelines on producing nuanced, objective reporting on rights issues; and practical exercises that walk users step-by-step through the production of a solid human rights story. It also helps journalists understand how international human rights mechanisms, laws and treaties work.

Global in scope and written in an easy-to-understand language, the toolkit is intended to be used as a training aid in targeted journalism trainings around the world. It is available in English online as a free PDF download, with French, Arabic and Spanish language translations planned for the future.

The handbook is based on a series of trainings in human rights reporting that Internews conducted in several countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East between 2009 and 2011. It was developed and produced by Internews’ Global Human Rights Program.

With global expertise and reach, Internews trains both media professionals and citizen journalists, introduces innovative media solutions, increases coverage of vital issues and helps establish policies needed for open access to information.  Its programs create platforms for dialogue and enable informed debate, which bring about social and economic progress.

Internews’ commitment to research and evaluation creates effective and sustainable programs, even in the most challenging environments. Formed in 1982, Internews is headquartered in California, has worked in more than 70 countries, and currently has offices in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and North America.
More information:
Speak Up, Speak Out: A Toolkit for Reporting on Human Rights Issues: http://bit.ly/Hd3nJQ

Source
Internews: http://bit.ly/zU6wz9