US Embassy hosts 9th Regional Media Seminar focusing on human rights
The United States Embassy in Manila hosted its 9th Regional Media Seminar that focused on journalists’ role in promoting Human Rights which had given chances to participants to hear from a US-based journalist and experts from top media and human rights organizations in the country.
Media practitioners from different regions and provinces around the country were gathered for the two-day seminar at Multi-Purpose Room Building of the U.S Embassy, Manila which ended Friday.
A teleconference was conducted with US-based, investigative journalist Ana Arana from Washington D.C. who spoke on the topic “Reporting on Human Rights Violations: An International Perspective.”
Participants were also able to hear topics on Criminal Justice System which was discussed by human rights lawyer Jose Manuel “Chel” Icasiano Diokno and Sustaining Democracy Through Human Rights Reporting by Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) Executive Director Melinda Quintos de Jesus.
International law lecturer Jemy Gatdula presented to local media a discussion on “The Nature of Rights and International Human Rights Enforcement Arms” while “Covering Human Rights Cases in the Philippines” was the topic covered by Floreen Simon, training director of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ).
Participants were able to interact with the speaker and discuss topics related to the lecture “Journalists as Human Rights Victims” as discussed by National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) Director Jose Jaime Espina.
The local media also learned some techniques and how to use cheaper devices on “Creating Awareness and Promoting Human Rights Through MultiMedia” which was presented by Ed Lingao from the Multi-Media Sector.
But participants had mixed emotions from the personal experience shared by freelance photojournalist Raffy Lerma with his topic “Documenting the War on Drugs.”
“The Role of Philippine Civil Society Groups in Protecting Human Rights” was also discussed by Rose Trajano, secretary general of the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates.