Details

Mid-career Training Workshops

a) Theme and Objectives

Mid career training being the core competence of UMDF will continue in 2008, although there will be more emphasis on practical training, with the assumption that hands-on training imparts greater skills that any other approach. The theme for 2008 is:

A Rights Based Approach to Journalism: Framing Stories from a Human Rights Perspective. The assumption here is that the concept of human rights is narrowly understood by many rights holders as well as duty bearers, including journalists. Many stories which would normally have a strong human rights character are reported with a different framing, submerging their human rights character. Journalists are some of the most critical duty bearers with the duty of promoting human rights observance through information dissemination as well as exposing human rights abuses through investigative journalism. With the Rights Based approach being adopted internationally as the most appropriate method of empowering citizens to demand accountability and participation, there is need to align journalists into this development thinking through training and skills improvement.

This training theme will seek to achieve the following objectives:

•Improve the understanding of journalists of the concept of human rights as a basis for democracy and development;

•Educate journalists on the different categories of human rights nationally and internationally;

•Enhance journalists’ understanding of the five core principles of a rights based approach, that is participation, accountability, attention to vulnerable groups, empowerment and adherence to international legal framework.

•Empower journalists with the ability and skills to frame stories from a human rights perspective.

b) Geographical areas to be covered

The trainings will be three day workshops, with more time for practical exercises, in the following areas: Hoima, Mbarara, Masaka, Gulu, Jinja, Soroti, Kasese, and Mukono. For presence in Kampala, a joint activity with the Uganda Court Reporters Association (UCRA) will be held on court reporting. 26 participants will be targeted.