Media and its role in promoting human rights [Archives:2008/1211/Opinion]
By: Rashad Ali Al-Shara'abi
Functions and roles of the various traditional and modern media means are no longer limited to the same media functions and roles experienced more than a decade ago. The media have seen an unprecedented expansion and development as a result of technological and technical development, rapid breakout of information and communication means and globalization.
Media outlets are no longer performing their traditional job (inform people of what happens) and the other added roles and functions related with awareness, knowledge, propaganda, promotion and entertainment with the purpose of providing citizens with accurate and reliable information they need in order to help them play their roles in a free community.
Media outlets have got a new job to work as a guard or protector, thereby observing the various activities undertaken by authorities, organizations, groups and individuals in the various countries. They were also assigned specific roles to ensure survival of successful democracies in states that took good steps in this regard. They give voices to those who have no voices and ensure that ruling majorities don't oppress minorities or abuse their rights.
In addition, media outlets have got involved in uncovering cases of financial, administrative and political corruption, shedding light on human rights abuses and restrictions of public freedoms, standing by victims and identifying perpetrators, be they states, groups or individuals.
In short, such a new role is reflected in how significant media have become in making changes, defending rights and freedoms and fighting the various forms of corruption. The media also provide substantial advice to both the rulers and ruled on how to deal with everyday problems and issues.
It is not strange to say that there is a strong relation between media and human rights, as well as the primary role the media outlets should play in order to enhance human rights and increase people's awareness about them. They also should introduce human rights to citizens and integrate them into their daily behaviors.
The media must not forget to uncover human rights abuses and speak to the local and international public opinion in order to defend these rights, confront any violations committed in this regard and determine methods followed in this regard.
As far as I am concerned, there are three key factors behind the weak role of media in Yemen. First, human rights, as a term and concept in its modern image, has been pondered upon as an instrument employed by the western invasion of Arab and Muslim nations to achieve certain interests.
Three factors behind poor performance of Yemen's media
From this perspective, human rights has remained as an odd cultural means used by western invaders to hurt independence and sovereignty of Arab and Muslim nations, and harm their social values and traditions.
This error, which had contributed to backwardness of Arabs and Muslims, was exploited by the Arab and Muslim rulers to establish their oppression and oppress their peoples. In the meantime, educated people and human rights activists committed inexcusable error as they gave the chance to oppression of the ruling elites to spread across the various Arab and Muslim nations.
Factor Two is represented by Yemen's backwardness, an issues that can be generalized at the Arab and Islamic levels with relative differences. While operating on the ground, Yemen's media highly consider interests and desires of the government and businessmen. Consequently, they couldn't play an instrumental role in enhancing and protecting human rights and public freedoms, and increasing awareness about them.
Factor Three is reflected in Yemen's human rights movement that hardly existed in the everyday life over the past ten years. This movement devoted the majority of its efforts and activities to political rights and some of the citizenship rights at the expense of economic, social and cultural rights.
Source: Al-Tagheer.com
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