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WORKSHOP ON MEDIA AND HUMAN RIGHTS
30 March 2004 DC Auditorium, Kottayam
SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Mahatma Gandhi University
&
DC KIZHAKEMURI FOUNDATION Kottayam
MEDIA AND HUMAN RIGHTS
K.M.Seethi ( Mahatma Gandhi University )
The School of International Relations, Mahatma Gandhi University , Kerala is organising a one-day workshop on Media and Human Rights as part of the UGC-sponsored programme currently underway in the School. The workshop, scheduled to be held on 30 March 2004 , seeks to provide a forum for academics, journalists, students, research scholars and social activists to interact and debate on different dimensions of Human Rights as depicted by and through the mass media.
Focal Thee of the Workshop
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers ( Article 19, United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights ) .
It has been well over fifty years since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and, yet, the abuses continue to grow in almost all parts of the world. Freedom of Speech and Human Rights are taken for granted in many countries but the new century saw the Human Rights conditions remain unchanged, or in some countries, actually worsen, around the world. In fact, the UN has reported that even though over a hundred governments have agreed to help outlaw some of the worse violations of rights, abuses are still on the increase. India is no exception.
As the present global order marches forth, the new century doesn't look as bright and cheerful for most people as one imagines it to be. There are so many examples of various countries, corporations and institutions violating human rights. Some are contributing to suppressing rights in other countries or ignoring the plight of people in other countries where their rights are denied due to the political and economic interests of various powerful lobbies.
Freedom of expression, and media freedom in particular, are in danger in many states. In too many countries, severe restrictions and abuse afflict committed journalists whose writings focus on sensitive topics, such as problems of development, abuse of power and corruption. These violations are in and of themselves abhorrent; but they also deserve serious attention because of the detrimental impact they have on efforts to combat all social ills, including growing corruption—a pervasive inhibitor to the political and economic development.
While many countries have signed the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 19 (about freedom of expression, opinion and information) has not been made a reality. A free and impartial media is a key pillar to a functioning democracy to help spread informed views and opinions. Yet, developed and developing countries alike are plagued with various problems in the media in numerous ways. News coverage pertaining to problems of development is declining which is an increasing concern at a time when the world is attempting to globalise. In many countries, journalists face threats of censorship, beatings and even death for reporting issues that may be controversial or not in the interests of power holders. Thus, media is a critical realm where sensitive human rights issues – not only of journalists but broad sections of the masses - are to be addressed most seriously. It is in this context that the workshop on Media and Human Rights becomes relevant. It is a modest beginning of a series of dialogues that the School of International Relations has planned for the next few years.
Objective and Focus of the Workshop
The proposed workshop on Media and Human Rights is designed to sensitise both the academic and the media community of the growing importance of Human Rights against the backdrop of the problems generated by the current pace of globalisation and its accompanying things. The focus of the workshop is on:
- Media and Human Rights: Conceptual Questions
- Development Issues, Human Rights and the Media
- Human Rights Violations: Role of Print and Electronic Media
- Problems of Women and Marginalised Sections: Media Images and Interventions
- Case Studies of Media Engagements with Human Rights
Workshop Participation
The workshop is purported to be in the nature of interfaces among academics, journalists and social activists. About 150 participants are expected for the workshop, which include academics, students, research scholars, journalists and social/human rights activists.
Resource Persons
The resource persons are drawn from various universities, research institutions and the media. The papers will be presented by Gouridasan Nair (The Hindu), N.MadhavanKutty (New Indian Express), B.R.P . Bhaskar (Human Rights activist and formerly with Deccan Herald) T.G.Suresh (Jawaharlal Nehru University), Vinod Kumar (Financial Express), M.Kunhaman (University of Kerala), V.M.Sathish (International Herald Tribune), Kurian Pambadi (formerly with Malayala Manorama), Anil G. Nair (Hindustan Times), Bernd Pflug , A.K.Ramakrishnan and Teresa Joseph ( Mahatma Gandhi University).
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