Activities

NIHR organizes a training program on human rights standards and principles for journalists and media professionals in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

In line with its role aimed at disseminating and enhancing awareness of human rights principles among all segments of society and extending bridges of cooperation with civil society institutions as key partners in achieving these goals, the National Human Rights Institution (NIHR) has commenced the first events of its training program on human rights standards and principles for journalists and media professionals. This program, organized in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands accredited to the Kingdom of Bahrain, is part of the NIHR's strategy to spread and enhance the culture of human rights across various community groups, emphasizing the importance of bridging relationships with stakeholders and human rights defenders.

During a speech delivered by Khaled Abdulaziz Al Shaer, the Vice Chairperson of NIHR, he expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the participants and highlighted the program's alignment with the significant progress in human rights under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and the follow-up by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. He praised the fruitful cooperation with the United Nations, its affiliated agencies, and relevant civil society institutions that aim to enhance journalists' and media professionals' knowledge of human rights principles, reaffirming the vital role of the media in supporting democracy and freedom of expression.

Al Shaer concluded his speech by thanking and appreciating the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Kingdom of Bahrain for its role in enhancing cooperation that contributes to the protection and promotion of human rights, expressing hope that the program meets the desired expectations to contribute to sustainable development in the Kingdom.

His Excellency Mr. Laurens Westhoff, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands accredited to the Kingdom of Bahrain, residing in the State of Kuwait, also spoke, expressing his sincere thanks and appreciation to NIHR for organizing this impactful training program. He emphasized its potential to enhance journalists' and media professionals' understanding of human rights and their effective role in this field, enabling them to apply these principles during journalistic and media coverage by understanding the main concepts of human rights.

The program spans two consecutive days and includes six sessions featuring speakers such as Ms. Ishraq bin Al Zain, Coordinator of the Training and Education Unit at the United Nations Centre for Training and Documentation in Human Rights for Southwest Asia and the Arab Region; Dr. Ali Hassan Al Talalba, a member of the Advisory Council of the Bahraini Observatory for Human Rights Monitoring; and Ms. Zahra Habib Al Misheqri, Head of the Freedoms Committee of the Bahraini Journalists Association. The sessions will cover the general framework for freedom of opinion and expression from the perspective of international human rights law, international mechanisms to enhance it, the role of the media in promoting human rights, discussion of Bahraini national legislation to protect and promote freedom of opinion and expression, rights and duties of journalists and media professionals, legal and rights protection for them, the role of Bahrain in protecting their rights during media coverage, as well as controls on exercising freedom of opinion and expression and combating hate speech.