ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am using this opportunity to express my gratitude to everyone who supported me

throughout the course of this project. I am thankful for their aspiring guidance,

invaluably constructive criticism and friendly advice during the project work. I am

sincerely grateful to them for sharing their truthful and illuminating views on a

number of issues related to the project.

I express my warm thanks to Prof. Brijwal for his support and guidance at

Banaras Hindu University.

I would also like to thank my coordinator Prof.C.P. Upadhyay and all the people

who provided me with the facilities being required and conductive conditions for

my political science project.

Thank you,

Anjana Meena.

B.A. LLB. ( hons.) ,7th sem.

Roll No. – 56
 ABBREVIATIONS

1) AIR – All India Reporters.

2) SCC – Supreme court Cases.

3) HR – Human Rights.

4) BBC - British Broadcasting Corporation.

5) CRC - Convention on the Rights of the Child.

6) ICHRP - International Council on Human Rights Policy.

7) IFJ - International Federation of Journalists.

8) ILO - International Labour Organization.

9) NGOs - Non Governmental Organisations.

10) PRAWA -Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action

11) RTLM Radio-Television Libres des Milles Collines

12) UDHR - Universal Declaration of Human Rights

13) UK United Kingdom

14) UN United Nations

15) UNICTR UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda

 CONTENTS

TOPIC PAGE NO.

1) Abstract. 1
2) Introduction. 2
3) What is media? 3
4) What is human rights.? 4
5) Mass Media. 5
6) Can the Media Influence Human Rights Agenda? 5
7) The concept of human right promotion. 6
8) Power of media in promotion of human right . 11
9) Constraints on media role in promotion of human rights. 14
10) Role of media in promotion of human rights in India. 16
11) Gross violation of human rights in India. 18
12) Social media and Human rights- Successful story. 20
13) Conclusion. 23
14) Bibliography. 24
 ABSTRACT
Social media has become a key forum for debate, organization, motivation,
response and counter-response on human right issues. Social media tool such as
blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and video sharing sites have played great part in
political mobilization and generating public protest against suppression,
exploitation and attempts of restricting freedom of expression and speech. In last
few years social media has played important role in the protection of democratic
values and human rights. In recent years social media has become mainstream
media of public communication and it has influenced and changed the patterns of
communication, interaction and advocacy for human right issues. Organizations,
activists, defenders, and citizen journalists through their increasing online presence
expand their strength to reach global audience and raise the issues of human rights
violation, which are often ignored by mainstream conventional mass media. In
number of incidence social media campaigns have successfully created pressure on
system to take the incidents of human rights violation seriously and provided
alternative view for mainstream media to report the incident. As agenda setter
social media has highlighted the issues by catching the eyeballs of the aware public
and secured justice for marginalized and weaker sections of the society. The
present assignment is an attempt to understand the patterns and adeptness of
presence of organizations, human right activists, and civil society members on
social media and effectiveness of such media for human rights advocacy, and
conducting thematic campaigns and use of social media to mobilize common
people and raise the voice of protest against the human rights violation.
 INTRODUCTION
The role of the mass media in promoting the nations’ awareness level, expanding
the discourse and modern concepts like human rights, democracy and peace are
obvious. They also affect the way governments function. Today, using the media
within the international context for planning a major strategy of the great powers
possess an important status. The level of using the new media includes
communication satellites, large news agencies, press and numerous radio and TV
stations as well as Internet sites, for they cut across geographical borders with the
least cost and target minds and the way people think in other countries. It looks
that advancement and qualitative and quantitative developments in the “mass
media”, have transformed the nature of the exchange and the symbolic production
in the world intensively and irreversibly. The present age is called “communication
age “. In other words, because of the existence and application of mass media
whose influence and effects are increasing, they have developed a new form and
have overshadowed the developments within the human societies. With the status
the mass media and communication tools have found from the birth of man till his
death in the modern life, they could be categorized in the social institutions and be
regarded as major effective factors in the process of the accepting norms, social
values and socialization. People usually learn values, norms, beliefs, inclinations as
well as behavioral theses from the others and through the process of the social
education and socialization or within the various frameworks of the social,
recognized and institutionalized values.
 TOPIC
ROLE OF MEDIA IN PROMOTION OF
HUMAN RIGHTS

WHAT IS MEDIA?
Communication channels through which news, entertainment, education, data, or
promotional messages are disseminated. Media includes every broadcasting and
narrowcasting medium such as newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, billboards,
direct mail, telephone, fax, and internet. Media is the plural of medium and can
take a plural or singular verb, depending on the sense intended.

Media is the collective communication outlets or tools that are used to store and
deliver information or data. It is either associated with communication media, or
the specialized mass media communication businesses such as print media and the
press, photography, advertising, cinema, broadcasting (radio and television),
publishing.

International Council on Human Rights Policy (ICHRP) -: which

defined the media as „individuals and organisations that communicate with the
public via print, radio, television and internet broadcast, and video and film
production.1

WHAT ARE HUMAN RIGHTS ?

Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality,
place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any
other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination.
These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible.

Universal human rights are often expressed and guaranteed by law, in the forms of
treaties, customary international law , general principles and other sources of
international law. International human rights law lays down obligations of
Governments to act in certain ways or to refrain from certain acts, in order to
promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals or
groups.

Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person in the
world, from birth until death. They apply regardless of where you are from, what
you believe or how you choose to live your life. They can never be taken away,
although they can sometimes be restricted – for example if a person breaks the law,
or in the interests of national security.

These basic rights are based on values like dignity, fairness, equality, respect and
independence.
1
Available at: http://www.protectionline.org/IMG/pdf/journalism_media.pdf
(accessed 08/03/11)
Mass Media
The century in which we are living is concurrent with a great revolution that man
has ever seen. It is the “age of communications and that of the media dominance”
on the humans’ lives . By the mass media, it is meant that the flow of the
information from a public affairs source could be available to millions of people
fast and efficiently. The mass media are tools that are created in the new
civilizations and are applied widely. The salient feature of them is their expanded
scope of power. The term mass media indicates a type of communication whose
aim is to establish a relationship with a group of people.

Role of Press and Media

Campaigning is always the first step to a noble cause and aims at building
awareness among the masses. In a great country like ours, the largest democracy of
the world, campaign is the authentic way to social change. The mass media can be
an instrument for educators, educational institutions and Governmental and Non-
Governmental Organizations for the emancipation of Human Rights.

Can the Media Influence Human Rights Agenda?

If it can be argued that the media can set the public agenda by reporting one news
story in place of another, then, the media can take up the human rights agenda by
publishing or broadcasting human rights programmes. Media can disseminate
human rights information, mobilize human rights NGOS, strengthen popular
participation in civil society, promote tolerance, and shine a light on government
activity. The media and human rights NGOs are helpful to each other in the fight
against human rights violations. These NGOs serve as monitors and sources of
information for human rights stories. The NGOs can use the global media to
highlight abuses, which in turn will shame abusers to put an end to their attitude,
while information released by them could be used by the media as news stories

Main functions of Mass Media are to inform, educate and entertain the readers,
listeners and viewers. Mass Media can play a vital role in educating its readers on
human rights subject by providing news stories and articles on violations,
concerned details, importance, etc in their medium. Gradually, this approach would
develop awareness and they would start behaving in the society with more maturity
and with respect for others.

Sensitizing Masses on Human Rights

The mass media has a positive and a constructive role to play. It could include
dissemination of information on human rights issue including information on
violation of human rights and problems that demand urgent intervention. It can
also work as an effective channel of communication in educating citizen for
redressal of violation of their rights. In addition, they should highlight the success
stories and positive experiences accumulated by the governmental and non-
governmental players at national and international levels. Media need to take
measures for sensitizing masses, specially Public Servants and judiciary. Biggest
barrier in enjoyment of rights is the mental barrier in the minds of executors. This
has to change through sensitization programmes. They can play an important role
in disseminating and implementing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
They can be, with positive approach, most effective instrument for citizens to
enjoy their rights. They judicial and redressal processes should be easily
accessible, simple and sensitive to human rights concerns. These sensitization
programmes will further open up ways for promotion of education for human
rights.

THE CONCEPT OF HUMAN RIGHTS PROMOTION

The promotion of human rights can be defined as education, training and

information aiming at building a universal culture of human rights through the
sharing of knowledge, imparting of skills and molding of attitudes directed to2:

• The strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms;

• The full development of the human personality and the sense of its dignity;

• The promotion of understanding, tolerance, gender equality and friendship among

all nations, indigenous peoples and racial, national, ethnic, religious and linguistic
groups;

2
Human Rights Promotion & Protection: Definition & Conceptual Issues, available at
http://www.peacebuildinginitiative.org/index.cfm?pageId=1847 (Last visited on July 2/2010)
• The enabling of all persons to participate effectively in a free and democratic
society governed by the rule of law;

• The building and maintenance of peace;

• The promotion of people-centered sustainable development and social justice."

• Creating awareness about the existence and the promises of international human
rights law.

The obligation to promote and ensure the enjoyment of human rights is the prime
responsibility of States, thereby conferring on states responsibility for the human
rights of individuals.3 Many human rights are owed by States to all people within
their territories. Basically, under international human rights law, states have
specific obligations to respect, protect, and fulfill the rights contained in the
different human rights treaties. Failure to perform these obligations constitutes a
violation of such rights. A UNDP practice note details these obligations, which
help understand the obligation of States in the protection of human rights4:

• The obligation to respect requires State Parties to refrain from interfering with
the enjoyment of rights.

• The obligation to protect requires State Parties to prevent violations of rights by

third parties.

• The obligation to fulfill requires State Parties to take appropriate legislative,

administrative, budgetary, judicial and other measures toward the full realization of
rights. This includes the obligation to promote human rights.

Primarily, states are expected to create a legal and policy environment for those
who are actively engaged in human rights advocacy and awareness creation. NGOs
are commonly known for their activities on the education and training human
rights. They usually, among other activities, train the society on human rights
issues, orientation and training courses for civil servants, including judges,
prosecutors, lawyers, media professionals, prison staff, police and security
personnel. In addition, NGOs are known for their approach for using the media to
3
Ibid
4
An overview of insider and outsider actors involved in human rights, available at
http://www.peacebuildinginitiative.org/index.cfm?pageId=1849 (Last visited on June 4/2010).
get their message across. Mostly, they sponsor human rights programs, train media
professionals and support the media in logistic and expertise for human rights
advocacy works.

In addition, to its partnership with NGOs, the media it self is known for its
activities in the promotion of human rights. The activities of the media in
circulating human rights and related information on the radio, newspapers,
television and other mass media; drama, sports, artistic and cultural events has
proved to be effective way of reaching the population often cut off from human
rights discourse. This activities of the media facilitates efforts of the state to
promote values, beliefs and attitudes that encourage individuals to uphold their
rights and those of others. Promotion of human rights makes an essential
contribution to the prevention of abuses and conflict and helps create a society in
which all persons are valued and respected just because of their humanity.5

Without a widespread culture of human rights, even democracy is not by itself a

guarantee of respect of human rights.6 It is a general agreement that abuse can only
be overcome by information made possible through freedom of expression. 7 As
observed by many writers, governments move slowly except under the pressure of
opinion or events and that without an informed public the effort on behalf of
human rights would lose its most important factor.8 This observation concludes
that the only way governments will be pressured to fulfill their obligations under
human rights instruments is when they have inhabitants informed about the
existence of human rights and the promises it held for everyone.

Indeed, an essential prerequisite for the realization of human rights is popular

awareness and support for the universally accepted human rights norms and
standards by each and every individual. Therefore, promoting human rights at a
national level is the most effective option to the full realization of international
human rights law.

One of the greatest paradoxes of the progress of human rights thinking is that many
prominent governments, who adopt human rights treaties basically, consider
5
Paul Gordon Lauren, the Evolution of Human Rights, (2003, University of Pennsylvania Press), p 255
6
Hannah Arendt, Human Rights awareness, available at http://www.hrawareness.org/ (Last visited June 15/2010)
7
Ibid
8
Abdurrahman P Vijapur and Kumar Suresh (ed.), Perspectives on Human Rights, (1999, MANAK Publications),
p281
human rights as only relevant for other countries. 9 The promotion of rights by
superpower, mostly, is a mere formality and poor member states have shown the
inability to implement the rights of its people.

Human rights instruments are treated, most of all, as instruments of foreign policy.
They are often used and undermined by ideological and strategic interest. 10 This
takes away the focus from promoting human rights for those who needs it to a
mere propaganda by government’s to show other countries their commitment to
international human rights law. As a result, human rights promotion is greatly
associated with the effort some countries made to promote and protect human
rights in other countries.

Seriousness on human rights has to start from the proposition that human rights
begin at home, that is where infractions are most sensitive and hurtful. A strong
human rights culture is a necessary underpinning of an effective regime of human
rights. The development of a moral, legal and spiritual sense of solidarity among
all people on the issue of human rights is a powerful and useful normative
architecture to build brighter prospects for the development of human rights
culture. The first step in achieving these goals is to awaken and transfer the society
to the awareness of human rights and make each and every individual part of this
revolution. Information plays an enormous role in this process.

If the end product of information is to be used to transform society, it is essential

that the medium content, access, and the timing of the information and
communication together have taken seriously.11 Under these conditions, it is
possible to create a society aware of its basic and fundamental rights and duties
and respect the rights of others. The violation of human rights, no matter in which
sphere of life they occur, essentially takes place because ‘human values’ are not
recognized in the first place. Promoting human rights will contribute to the creation
of an environment where all people exist peacefully recognizing each others value
as a human being.

9
Richard Falk, Human Rights Horizons-The Pursuit of Justice in Globalization world, (2000, Routlrdge publishing),
p57.
10
Giuseppe Balducci, The study of the EU promotion of human rights: the importance of international and Internal
factors, University of Warwick and College of Europe GARNET Working Paper No: 61/08, 2008, p5.
11
Adolf E. Mbaine (ed.), Media in Situations of Conflict, Roles, Challenges and Responsibilities, (2006, Fountain
Publishers), pp89.
THE ROLE OF MEDIA IN PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

-POWER OF MEDIA

Media is an all-encompassing term referring to the presentation and transmission

of information by a multiplicity of outlets (radio, television, print and the
internet).12 The power of media is generally symbolic and persuasive, in the sense
that it primarily has the potential to control to some extent the minds of its
audience, but not their actions.13 Except in cases of physical, coercive force, the
control of action, which is usually the ultimate aim of the exercise of power, is
generally indirect, whereas the control of intentions, plans, knowledge, beliefs, or
opinions that is, mental representations that monitor overt activities is presupposed.
Therefore, it is true that the users of media retain some autonomy over the
information they receive. In other words, whatever the symbolic power of the
media, at least some media users will generally be able to resist such persuasion.
Practically, media might not tell us what to think but it definitely gives us what to
think about. The media, in contemporary world, is the most important source of
information about everything including human rights. This is because, for most
people television, radio and newspapers are their only source of information. 14 As a
result, media possess a power to select issues and events in the world we got to
know about, they decide what constitute news, they filter and frame issues, they
contextualize the problem, they set the political agenda, and they create both the
consciousness and on matters that include human rights.15 They perform this in two
ways.

• The media are generators and source of information: under such rubrics reporters
gather, process and present most of the information we receive about everything
including human rights. In addition to just processing information, the media are
political and moral agents, deciding to highlight a particular story, taking clear
editorial positions and calling for something to be done.

12
Elizabeth Heger Boyle and Andrea Hoeschen, ‘Theorizing the Form of Media Coverage over Time’, The
Sociological Quarterly, Vol. 42, No. 4, (2001, Blackwell Publishing), p522
13
Teun A. van Dijk, Power and the News Media, (2007,University of Amsterdam), p2
14
Melisande Middleton, Social Responsibility in the Media, Center for International Media Ethics CIME (2009,
Oxford University PCMLP), p 2.
15
International Council on Human Rights Policy, Journalism, Media and the Challenge Of Human Rights Reporting, ,
2002, p, 36, available at http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/lib.nsf/db900sid/LGEL- 5ECH5Y/$file/ichrp-media-2002.pdf?
openelement (Last visited on August 23/2010)
• Media are the carriers of information generated by human rights organizations
(NGOs, national human right commissions, Ombudsman, treaty bodies etc): they
are the most powerful gatekeepers between these organizations and the wider
public. Whether mounting a campaign on a particular issue or publishing a report
about a particular country or appealing for fund, organizations channel their
information through the selective filter of the media.

The media has proved the power it holds in building up public opinion on different
subject matters. The pen is mightier than the sword' goes an old proverb which has
been proved since the advent of writing and development of media. 16 Especially in
the 21st century media has demonstrated its irresistible power by making and
breaking almost everything. Globalization, the increasing interdependence of
states, markets, communications and ideas across borders, is one of the main
features of the contemporary world. For the creation of globalization, media takes
the primary credit. Under the realm of globalization, people around the world are
able to get any Information as inexpensive and effortless possible. This increases
the power of media in building ideas and opinions for the majority of the world
population.

-THE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF MEDIA IN PROMOTION OF

HUMAN RIGHTS

Media, while playing its role as the agent of information shares information at
broader level that actually raises the level of awareness on issues which impact the
livelihoods of individuals and their role in society. 17 In recent years, it has become
visible that media is considering human rights news and coverage worthy. The
media has become interested not only in violation of human rights but also in the
institutional apparatus that has been designed to protect and to promote human
rights.18

The primary reason, for the growing interest of the media on human rights is
because many governments and international institutions have integrated human
rights principles in to their policy frame work. Consequently, the human rights
16
Patricia McFadden, ‘Examining Myths of a Democratic Media’, Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 25, No.
78, (1998, Taylor & Francis, Ltd.), p. 655
17
Shafqat Munir, Media activism: Right based approach to Promote Development issues, Journalists for Democracy
and Human Rights (JDHR), available at
18
International Council on Human Rights Policy, Supra not 57, p 24.
discourse and the human rights law influence directly public policy and diplomatic
relations in a ways not the case until the end of the cold war. As media is interested
in such matters, human rights have become frequent topics of media coverage.

Secondly, the media got involved more and more in human rights discourse
because of some of the most serious human rights violations taken place in the
context of armed conflict , or have been an immediate cause of conflict erupting.
The media, through out its history, has paid its close attention to war and internal
armed conflict. With the concept of human rights more familiar, the media has
found it interesting to investigate and reveal violation of human rights.

Though, the media is always digging human right violations and covering activities
in relation to human rights, this does not lead to the conclusion that media have a
legal obligation to cover and report or promote human rights to the public. This is
because, international human rights law places all the legal duties on states and
creates few or no private duties. In other words human rights are drawn vertically,
not horizontally.19 Therefore, there is no legal ground to argue that the media has
an obligation to promote human rights. Accordingly, as practice shows, the media
mostly involve in human rights and related issues when they are associated to other
factors, like internal conflict, war or diplomatic and political matters.

However, there are two main points that are worth mentioning in at this point. First
of all, at the international level, most large media organizations are government
owned.20 This means, states, as duty bearers of international human rights
instruments have the obligation and the opportunity to use the media as a vehicle in
their effort to the promotion and protection of human rights. Second, it is important
to note that everyone has a moral responsibility to engage actively in the
enforcement, protection and promotion of human rights. The preamble of UDHR,
for instance, claims this moral obligation by stating that every individual and every
organ of society has to keep the declaration in mind and shall strive by teaching
and education to promote respect for the rights and freedoms provided under the
declaration.

19
John H. Knox, ‘Horizontal Human Rights Law’, The American Journal of International Law, Vol. 102, No. 1, (2008,
American Society of International Law), p 1.
20
Simeon Djankov, ‘Who Owns the Media?’, Journal of Law and Economics, Vol. 46, No. 2 (2003, The University of
Chicago Press), pp. 341
This leads to a logical conclusion that, media as an organ of a society assumes
responsibility to contribute to the promotion of human rights. Peace, non-violence,
disarmament, maintenance and promotion of ecological balances and unpolluted
environment and ensuring human rights to all irrespective of caste, color and creed
should be the minimum common agenda for the media. 21 Media is in ideal position
to make people aware of their rights, investigate and expose violations and invite
attention to the people and areas in need of protection of human rights and pursue
their case till they achieve them. In addition media assume moral responsibilities
to22

• Promote awareness of human rights. Media has to inform and educate the people
about their rights and suggest ways and means by which they can defend violations
and thus empowering them to protect their rights.

• Encourage experts to address and comment the administration and legal affairs
of the specific rights

• Investigating and revealing human rights violations

• Give publicity to individuals and organizations, which are engaged in advocating

and securing human rights. These encourage as well as motivate others to involve
in human rights advocacy works.

So far, media has notable contribution in the process of human rights promotion.
This is through its several activities, which include exposing violations of rights
and creating a stage to improve the climate of democratic debate and reduce
corruption in public life.23 At the same time, provide reliable information through
which citizens, human rights groups, private organizations and public authorities
can work together to promote development and to eliminate arbitrary abuse.

CONSTRAINTS ON MEDIA ROLE IN PROMOTION OF HUMAN

RIGHTS

21
John H. Knox, Supra note 67, p2
22
Shaista Shameem, Human rights, development and freedom of information: media responsibility, available at,
http://kauri.aut.ac.nz:8080/dspace/bitstream/123456789/1415/1/MediaDev_rights_shaista_pp 137-147.pdf
23
he role of the media in the Rwandan genocide, available at,
http://neveragain.epov.org/The_role_of_the_media_in_the_Rwandan_genocide
Media, as an institution and journalists face several challenges both from the
government of the country where they functions and from their own organizational
system on their effort in the promotion of human rights.

Journalists are often criticized to confuse issues on human rights because of

inadequate understanding of the material they are covering. They have a superficial
gasp of the institutional apparatus of human rights. In addition, as evidenced by
what they write or present, many journalists would be hard pressed to explain the
specific human rights let alone the difference between the diverse mechanisms that
exist to monitor adherence to human right treaties or even distinguish between
humanitarian and human right law. Regrettably, especially in countries where the
culture of democracy and human rights is young, only few journalists are able to
identify with confidence even half a dozen of the basic rights supported by UDHR
and other international and regional human rights instruments. Lack of awareness
about human rights by journalists, is one of the major challenges for the effort to
promote human rights.

Media is also considered to be less sensitive on specific human rights and, as a

result, miss stories or dimensions of stories. Especially, economic, social and
cultural rights, which are less visible and slow process by nature, are largely
underreported because the media still understand human rights synonyms with
civil and political rights. The importance of economic, social and cultural rights,
including the international economy, poverty, inequality and social and economic
discrimination is relatively ignored. This criticism applies particularly to media
coverage of issues that relate to their own governments or other powerful interests
in their own societies.

Media is also held responsible not only for underreporting human rights issue but
also for lack of an actual impact on human rights. 24 In protecting and promoting
human rights, the question is not only whether the public has the information but
also to figure out what is done with this information. 25 Media professionals claim
that, it is not up to them to make sure what is done with the information circulated
by them and argue that their only role is to obtain, verify and make news known.
24
Ibid
25
XIX, Article 19, The Public's Right to Know, Principles on Freedom of Information Legislation, Global Campaign for
Free Expression, International Standards Series. 1999, available at,
http://www.article19.org/pdfs/standards/righttoknow.pd
The other main problem of the media is lack of retroactive report especially when
covering human rights violation. This is particularly true of covering conduct
during wars, because it is always technically difficult and often impossible, to
establish facts at the time and therefore report whether human rights violations
were committed, whose rights were violated, or what could have been done
differently. Still, the media deserves credit for its retrospective when they often fail
to get the story right away. This can be positive not only for its advantage to
understand the past or to secure justice (Justice delayed is better than justice
denied) but also can be valuable in clarifying contemporary situations.

Last but not least, the media is challenged by strict laws and sometimes abuse from
the government. The most challenging obstacle to the media freedom is the failure
of government’s to recognize the role played by independent journalism in the
creation, nourishment and development of democracy and human rights. 26 This
lack of recognition is reflected in the presence of active censorship or restrictive
regulation of journalists, lack of rights of access to official information, a legal
landscape which inhibits the ability of journalists to inquire freely (for instance, the
application of draconian defamation and sedition laws), and the state
administration of essential media services, including broadcasting, printing
facilities and distribution systems.

With all the challenges discussed above, it is worth recognizing that independent-
minded media have played a central role in the promotion human rights. Many
have put their lives and freedoms at risk in order to promote dignity to all human
beings and transparent and accountable governance. Many journalists, have been
arrested, prosecuted or condemned to heavy fines or prison terms as a result of
their effort to contribute to the promotion of human rights.

Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose, acting Chief Justice, High Court

of Andhra Pradesh. – VIEWS -:
On the role of media, he said that it was playing a vital role with regard to
addressing human rights issues. “It helps us know what is happening in a
remote corner of a village if there is discrimination or violation of human
26
International Federation of Journalists, The role of Media in Promotion of Human Rights and Democratic
Development in Africa, (1999, Brussels), p17.
rights. Globalisation and the advent of information technology and its
penetration on a large scale have helped us receive more information. Media
creates opinion of public at large, and we are experiencing and learning the
difficulties of men and the community through the media. It helps us work
towards abolishing those difficulties.”

Speaking earlier, B. Thirumalai, senior journalist, said that media’s role in

shaping the polity and cultural aspects of life like influencing our consumption
pattern and lifestyle was becoming larger. Free media was critical to the
functioning of democracy. Karl Marx started his career as a journalist and
Mahatma Gandhi also published journals to spread ideas of non-violence.

ROLE OF MEDIA OF PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS IN INDIA

The article 19 of universal declaration on human rights (UNO, 1948) and

International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (1966) have acknowledged
the free flow of information, freedom and pluralism of the media, and the freedom
of expression and speech as human rights. These rights are very crucial and vital to
protect the human rights of common people suffering from social disparities,
suppression and sidelined by the dominant class. Despite of making commitments
for human rights protection India has significant problems of human rights
violation. 'There are increased restrictions on Internet freedom, continued
marginalisation of Dalits, tribal groups, religious minorities, sexual and gender
minorities, and people with disabilities; and persistent impunity for abuses linked
to insurgencies, particularly in Maoist areas, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, and
Assam.

The architects of Indian Constitution too incorporated international human rights in

Part III of the Indian Constitution successfully and directive principles were also
included to be followed by various states in India. Articles 1 to 32 in Part III of
Indian Constitution are Human Rights, defined as Fundamental Rights. Our courts
and particularly the Supreme Court of India are very serious and specific in
judgments related to human rights issues. Supreme Court of India has played and is
playing a very important role in establishing the importance and implementation
of human rights in our country. Of course, there are now special Human Rights
Courts and Human Rights Commissions at National level and state level. However,
there are still some state governments, who have neither formed Human Rights
Courts nor State Commissions so far. Promises have been given, but yet to be
fulfilled.

A covenant, convention or treaty, unlike a declaration, has the force of law. Those
who sign the document, known as the signatories, have not only a moral obligation
but a legal obligation to respect its terms. A covenant, convention or treaty is
signed between states. Once it is signed, it must be ratified by the signatories. This
means, that the treaty must be accepted by the country’s own parliament or
equivalent legislative body. Then it becomes the law. Countries become
answerable to International Court of Justice. One of the greatest achievements of
the United Nations is the creation of a comprehensive body of human rights
legislation. This body implementing it is known as United Nations Human Rights
Commissioner’s Office. For the first time in history, there exists a universal code
of human rights one to which all nations can subscribe and to which all people can
aspire.

India has a vast and strong mainstream media. It plays crucial role in political
change and agenda setting of the democracy. Indian mainstream media is a
complex institution where number of factors play decisive role in its functioning. If
we look at the growth of mainstream media in India ownership and control
dimensions, representational dimensions, general social structural dimensions, and
regulatory frameworks have been decided their line of action, understanding, and
picking and presentation of human rights issues. It is popular notion that
mainstream media in India is functioning under the parental guidance of state and
effective control of market forces. Support the purpose of the state and follow the
agenda of the stakeholders and investors has been seen as one of the main
philosophy behind functioning of mainstream media. The significant corporate
power and economic clout wielded by media owners has led to the perception that
the media is a force vying for power outside the political process. The pattern of
guidance has influenced the power of mainstream media to examine and present
the reality with principles of objectivity and reliability. This dynamics of power
and market has set a gauge for mainstream media and often resulted in presentation
of guided reality. This dominant framing of human rights tries to draw a pro-
establishment vision for media and sometimes justifies the non-reporting of human
rights violation of marginalized people, groups, minorities and people with
different political view. Such obligations and control dynamics restricts the ability
of mainstream media so issues of human rights sometimes overlooked or covered
inappropriately. On the other hand social media has emerged as a powerful tool of
public interaction with no or minimum limitations and free from such restrictions.
With its collaborative and interactive model of communication social media has
become one of the most preferred platform of human communication now days.
With mainstreaming of social media availability of information has become faster
and available to each and every user who is connected to the network. Social media
or digital media has altered the practice of conventional models of human
interaction and role of communication in political and social change. Social media
is an important new tool for promoting social and political change. Social media
allows eyewitness accounts to be made widely available and expands access to
information. Reporting is no longer confined to traditional sources of journalism.
Through social media information has spread faster and farther, available now to
local, regional and global audiences. In the context of human rights movements,
this element of spreading messages and bringing attention to a cause is crucial.

GROSS VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN INIDA

Politicians Motivated Communal Violence*

Widespread interstate violence, communal violence and religiously motivated

communal violence against Muslims and Christians with the involvement of
politicians to secure their vote bank for elections as reported by International and
National Non-Governmental Organizations. The main culprits of massacres
committed in 2002 are still roaming free in the state of Gujarat. An international
NGO, Human Rights Watch organization (HRW) has urged the Central
Government to takeover cases of large-scale state-supported massacres of Muslims
during February and March 2002. The Government’s failure to redress massacres
in Gujarat, examines the record of state authorities in holding perpetrators
accountable and providing humanitarian relief to victims of state-supported
massacres.

Misuse of POTA – No Hindus Charged under the ACT?

 More than one hundred Muslims have been charged under India’s much-criticized
Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) for their alleged involvement in the train
massacre in Godhra. Contrary to these measures, no Hindus have been charged
under POTA in connection with the violence against Muslims, which the state
government continues to dismiss as spontaneous and unorganized reaction.
However, the government initially boasted of thousands of arrests following the
attacks, most of those arrested has since been acquitted, released on bail without
any further action against them or simply allowed to go. Police downgraded
serious charges to lesser crimes – from murder or rape charges to rioting, for
example – and altered victims’ statements to delete the names of the accused. Even
when cases reach trial, Muslim victims face biased prosecutors and judges. Hindu
and Muslim lawyers representing Muslim victims, and doctors providing medical
relief to them, have also faced harassment and threats. Many times victims faced
the discrimination from communal lawyers and judges. This was a clear violation
of their human rights.

Prison condition in India

Despite the checks and balances inherent in India’s democratic structure designed
to curb government lawlessness, the institutional basis for the prison system has
become grossly unfair. In some major cities, anyone unlucky enough to be arrested
faces a far greater likelihood of torture or worse at the hands of the police than in
many countries entirely lacking in the protections for civil liberties available in
India. Prisons are supposed to be leveling institutions in which the variables that
affect the conditions of confinement are expected to be the criminal records of their
inmates and their behavior. In Indian prisons, however, there exists a rigid class
system that is explicitly mandated by law, where special privileges are accorded to
the minority of prisoners who come from the upper or middle classes, irrespective
of the crimes they may have committed or the way that they comport themselves in
prison.

Significant Human Rights Abuses in India

Extrajudicial killings, including faked encounter killings, custodial deaths

throughout the country, and excessive use of force by security forces combating
active insurgencies in Jammu and Kashmir and several northeastern states; torture
and rape by police and other agents of the Government; poor prison conditions;
arbitrary arrest and uncommunicated detention in Jammu and Kashmir, occasional
limits on freedom of the press and freedom of movement; harassment and arrest of
human rights monitors; extensive societal violence against women; legal and
societal discrimination against women; forced prostitution; child prostitution and
female infanticide; discrimination against persons with disabilities; serious
discrimination and violence against indigenous people and scheduled castes and
tribes.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND HUMAN RIGHTS: SUCCESSFULSTORIES

"Is the judiciary a holy cow?" The Zee-TV Network raised the question of whether
the Indian judiciary is a holy cow after successfully exposing a magistrate
conniving with lawyers to sell arrest warrants. On 13 January 2004, its reporter and
cameraman approached two advocates of Meghani Nagar Court, in Ahmedabad,
Gujarat, and informed them that they were businessmen wanting to obtain arrest
warrants against a few of their business rivals. They inquired whether they could
manage this through the court. The lawyers accepted the challenge and demanded
40,000 rupees (US0) as their fee, and 5000 rupees (US0) for the magistrate. Just to
check how bad the situation was, the reporter included the names of the President
of India, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and former Chairman of the Bar
Council on the list. Warrants were issued accordingly, after the magistrate got his
money. The story is now well known in India and has become an embarrassment
not only to the judiciary but also to the government. India has long asserted that it
has an independent and well-trained judiciary. Within India the claim has lost
much of its credibility in recent decades. The Zee-TV expose has now laid bare the
great myth for all to see.

Not only is the news media working in promoting and protecting the human rights
but various other institutions and organizations have been mushrooming in the
recent time to spread awareness regarding the gross violations of peoples right. For
example, Human Rights Campaign'- an organization working for online and offline
mobilization of public and 'to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender American' (www.hrc.org) has also used social media at global level to
gain the public support. The HRC changed its iconic logo on their Facebook page
to red to show support the marriage equality debate. 'The red logo immediately
went viral as people everywhere shared the photo and changed their Facebook
profile photo to the image in support of marriage equality. The campaign was heart
touching and has successfully secured over 114 million views, 3rd most shared ad
of all time. Campaign was uploaded in 25 languages and seen in 110 countries
and1,800 blog posts were written about the campaign. India has witnessed the
power of social media in Nirbhaya case. Social media has raised awareness,
stimulated debate, changed the attitudes of public and a massive movement was
generated against the horrific-rape case that has also changed the directive and
action for respect and protection of women in India. Social media and online
communication tools were utilized to inform, mobilise and organise people and
case became focus on across the media platforms. Recently a social media
campaign has gone viral after two gang rape videos went viral on whatsapp. The
videos were later uploaded on You Tube and Facebook by social activist Sunitha
Krishanan, asking people to help identify the alleged rapists. Immediately Supreme
Court of India taken up the case and asked the CBI to register a case and
immediately investigate the video. Success of such cases and many more other
cases tell the strength and effectiveness of social media used as a weapon of
protection of human rights and creating awareness on the issues of social interest.
Most mainstream human rights organizations, activists, and campaigners use social
media as important part of their information and communication activities.
Facebook, Twitter and many more social media platforms have been used to share
information, advocacy and calls for action. The Arab springs and the Anna Hazare
movements are best examples of using social media to spread messages of human
rights, and mobilize people for action against political suppression and the
corruption.
ROLE OF MEDIA IN THE PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
 BA.LLB(Hons.) 2017-18

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:

PROF.BRIJWAL ANJANA MEENA

FACULTY OF LAW BA.LLB ; VIIth Semester

LAW SCHOOL BANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY

ROLL NO.- 56

CONCLUSION
This study has tried to look into what role the media play in the promotion of human rights. The
review of related literature highlighted the importance of press freedom, media social
responsibility, and the power of the media in enhancing human rights through the nurture of
democracy which is considered a sine qua non for the respect of human rights. This highlights
the symbiotic relationship between the media and democracy. However, though the media are
considered important in the promotion of human rights, which is a positive aspect of the media,
the same media have often been entangled in human rights violations at various times.

The media have been shown to play a dual role - as a promoter of human rights in view of their
coverage of human rights abuses, and, as abuser of human rights as shown in the Rwandan
genocide. Should the media then stay put in the promotion of human rights in view of the power
they wield, or, should they stay out of human rights because of their occasional violations of
human rights? But it seems the positive role of the media far outweighs any violations which
might have marred their role. As indicated by the action of the BBC in producing a documentary
on child labour in Ghana and Ivory Coast, the media will continue to be important in human
rights promotion because they are needed to enthrone and nurture democracy which is in turn
needed to guarantee respect for human rights. The media, in addition, create awareness on
human rights and human rights abuses to help individuals whose rights have been violated to
seek redress.

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that this project assignment “ROLE OF MEDIA IN
PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS” submitted by ANJANA MEENA in the
partial fulfillment of B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) course and is the record of bonafide work
pursued by him as full-time student of B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) 7th Semester (4 th Year),
Faculty of Law (Law School), Banaras Hindu University under my guidance and
supervision. This assignment or any part thereof has not been submitted elsewhere
for any degree.

Varanasi PROF. BRIJWAL SIR.

2nd November 2017. (Supervising Guide )

Professor

Faculty of Law(law school)

BHU

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1) Howard, P. N., &Hussain, M. M. (2011). The role of digital media. Journal
of democracy,22(3), 35-48
2) www.ichrp.org/files/assets/260/south_asia_roundtable_report.pdf 
3) Yeaza, C.D. (2014). Human Rights. In Encyclopedia of Social Media and
Politics, Vol. I byKerric Harvey. Sage
4) Role of Mass Media in Promoting Human Rights * Dr. Umesh Kumari
5) Promotion & Protection: Definition & Conceptual Issues’ available at
6) <http://www.peacebuildinginitiative.org/index.cfm?pageId=1847>