Global News is a media partner with Journalists for Human Rights and, as part of that partnership, is proud to provide a platform for updates on JHR programs.
Journalists for Human Rights is hosting its 16th annual Night for Rights gala on Oct. 1.
Night for Rights is an opportunity for more than 400 attendees to join media icons, sports legends, political figures and JHR-trained reporters to celebrate JHR’s work in advancing human rights journalism around the world.
JHR was founded in 2002 to train journalists to responsibly cover human rights issues and act as referees between citizens and their governments. Since then, JHR has worked in 28 different countries and trained 15,650 journalists, bringing human rights stories to 65 million people. Today, JHR works in Jordan, Syria, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa and within Indigenous communities across Canada.
Through an array of different programs tailored the suit each country’s media landscape, JHR has helped to provide journalists, media managers and journalism students with the training they need to cover pressing human rights issues in their communities.
Night for Rights is where these stories are showcased alongside inspiring speakers. Last year, attendees heard from Reem Haleb, a brave journalist from Syria. Haleb started a radio station and reported on human rights issues in her country — even after she was shot while reporting on a protest. She has continued covering human rights issues in Syria from Turkey.
Stories like Haleb’s are sobering reminders of the deeply entrenched forces that make JHR’s work so necessary.
As she puts it: “A camera is more threatening to the regime than a weapon.”
This year, the spotlight is on JHR’s programs in the DRC and South Sudan. The DRC program supports reporters and journalism students in making radio and TV documentaries. JHR is providing support to ensure that the 2018 DRC elections will be reported on fairly and impartially.
The honorary co-chair for this event is Masai Ujiri, president and general manager of the Toronto Raptors. The co-chairs for JHR’s 16th anniversary celebration are Lisa LaFlamme of CTV News; Troy Reeb, vice-president of Global News; Catherine Cano, CEO of CPAC; Michael Cooke, editor of the Toronto Star; Bobby Walman of Civic Works; Richard Linley of the Wine Council of Ontario and Theresa Ebden of Accenture Canada.
For the first time, attendees this year will also be able to get a closer look at JHR’s work around the world through VR sets that provide an immersive look into stories produced by JHR-trained reporters in South Sudan.
Night for Rights also celebrates balanced, thoughtful human rights stories in Canadian media through JHR’s Award for Extraordinary Achievement in Human Rights Reporting. The prize honours journalists whose coverage of human rights issues sparks important conversations and creates change, and gives awardees a fellowship to help with a JHR project.
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