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Media should focus more attention on social issues-Short

Mon, 9 Feb 2004 Source: GNA

Accra, Feb. 9, GNA - Mr. Francis Emile Short, Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), on Monday charged the Media to devote much of their reportage to issues that affect the lives of ordinary Ghanaians.

He pointed out that by shifting attention from civil issues in society to economic and social matters, the Media and other human rights activists would be helping to mould the attitudes of the citizenry so that they can live in decency and dignity.

Making the call at the opening of a five-day workshop for media practitioners in Accra, Mr Short remarked, "the media tend to focus more on public officials, and neglect the common people in society". Organised jointly by the Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) and the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), the workshop has as its theme: "Social Justice Reporting".

The CHRAJ Commissioner urged journalists to be more innovative in their reportage in order to give right and suitable headlines to issues that seem to be looked down upon in society.

He cautioned the media to guard against politics of deception, especially in this election year when majority of their reports would be on political issues.

"If we want to live in a society where the rule of law prevails, then we must make sure human rights violations are brought to the fore in our reportage in order to avoid anarchy."

Mr Matthew Mac-Kwame, executive member of the Ghana Journalists Association urged the media to draw inspiration from the inscription "freedom and justice" on the nation's Coat of Arms, and defend human rights issues without fear or favour.

Mr Mac-Kwame reminded media practitioners that one important way to hold government accountable and to force policy makers to take humane decisions was to consider political, economic and social issues from the human rights perspective.

Mr Tim Knight, Canadian broadcast journalist, and a resource person, stated that as people at the forefront of the fight against human rights violations, journalists ought to align thenselves with the ordinary people and champion their course.

"Let us use the language of the ordinary people whom we serve in society, in our reportage", Mr Knight advised mediamen.

Mr Isaac Owusu-Mensah, acting programme co-ordinator of CHRI, urged journalists to let credibility and objectivity be their watchword and guiding principles when it came to conducting research into human rights activities.

Source: GNA