Workshop on 'Role of media in promotion and protection of human rights'

J
ustice Shri H.L. Dattu, Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission, India has said that the Commission recognizes and cherishes the media as a valuable ally in addressing human rights violations in the country. However, he said that in order to become genuine protectors of human rights, the media would have to steer clear of sensationalism and provocative journalism, which can cause considerable damage to not only the concerned persons but also vitiate the larger socio-cultural-religious relations in society. Justice Dattu was delivering the inaugural address at the workshop on "Role of media in promotion and protection of human rights", organized by the NHRC in collaboration with the National Law School of India University, NLSIU at Bangalore, Karnataka on the 22nd June, 2017.
Justice Dattu said that the role of media in highlighting the acts of commission, omission, abetment and negligence of the State and its agencies, which result in rights violations, is indispensable to the work of the Commission. There have been several instances when media has acted as an agent for constructive change and notable developments within human rights jurisprudence. Describing journalists and other associated with media as human rights defenders, he said that attacks on them by vested interests are condemnable for not only do they weaken the freedom of the media but also democratic processes.
Justice Dattu said that media is very powerful but 'with great power comes great responsibilities' also. He said that the 'Golden Triangle', comprising equality before law, freedom of speech and expression and the protection of life and personal liberty, under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Indian Constitution, provides the broad framework of rights and responsibilities that the media must actively seek to operate within.
Describing media trials as the very anti-thesis of the rule of law and a matter of grave concern as, many a times, they may result in gross miscarriage of justice, he requested to media to ponder over this issue in earnest. He quoted a key recommendation in the 200th report of the Law Commission of India that "…. Journalists need to be trained in certain aspects of law relating to freedom of speech enshrined in Article 19 (1) (a) and the restrictions on the same which are permissible under Article 19 (2) of the Constitution as also about various human rights and the Law of Defamation and Contempt."
Justice Dattu said that unfortunately, in recent times, it has been observed that mainstream media often fails to reflect some of the pressing challenges that confront large sections of society including Dalits, Adivasis, women, rural poor, urban poor and workers in the unorganized sector, among others. It appears that only the human rights violations committed by the State and its various agencies against the urban elite and middle classes are now considered worthy of mainstream media space. He lauded the role of the vernacular media for continuing to highlight important human rights issues from the forgotten regions of the country.
Earlier, addressing the participants, Prof. (Dr.) R. Venkata Rao, Vice Chancellor, NLSIU lauded the role of media and mentioned about the dependence of people, particularly, the younger generation on various tools of communication to get information. He also raised concerns on the safety of journalists, who, in exercise of freedom of expression, become victims of attacks on them. He said that it is the responsibility of the State to provide protection to media persons.
Smt. Meera Saksena, Acting Chairperson, Karnataka State Human Rights Commission acknowledged the useful purpose being served by media reports in helping the Commission to take suo motu cognizance of human rights violations but she also cautioned about the harm being caused by unconfirmed media reports. She said that media persons need scoops but in a rush to achieve Television Rating Points (TRPs) and circulation targets, they should not trample on people's rights.
Dr. S. N. Mohanty, Secretary General and CEO, NHRC, India said that the media would have to make its own guidelines, as self-regulation is better than the government regulation. He stated that the pressure of the market forces should not lead to a compromise with the media, playing the role of the fourth pillar of democracy.
Dr. Ranjit Singh, Joint Secretary, NHRC in his introductory remarks, highlighted the role of media, social media and the concept of human rights as enshrined in the Constitution and the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. He also drew on the significance of the NHRC's collaboration with the NLSIU in organizing special programmes for building awareness about human rights.
The workshop was divided into two thematic sessions, which were chaired by Prof. (Dr.) V S Mallar, NLSIU and NHRC Member, Shri Justice D Murugesan respectively. The speakers included, among others, senior journalist, Shri Shekhar Gupta, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, Printline Media Pvt. Ltd, Dr. V. Vijayakumar, NLSIU, Prof. Manoj Chakravarti, IIM, Bangalore, Sanjay R. Hegde, Sr. Advocate, Supreme Court of India, Shri Aditya Sondhi, Additional Advocate General, Karnataka.
The objective of the workshop was to bring on one platform media persons, jurists, members of legal fraternity, academicians, students and other stake holders to understand, appreciate and discuss the whole gamut of issues about the role and impact of media in promotion and protection of human rights. Freedom of speech with focus on social media, in the backdrop of concerns relating to human rights, was another major point of discussions.
The participants included media persons, academicians, officers working for media and communication, students of mass communication, social sciences and law, representatives of NGOs.