Human Rights Education Workshop

Workshop for Journalists

Baghdad
December 20 -21, 2006

Iraq Foundation held a two day workshop in Baghdad on the 20-21 st of December 2006 for a group of 17 Iraqi journalists and reporters. The workshop was part of the Foundation’s ongoing efforts to raise awareness on universal standards and principles of human rights and spread human rights education in Iraq.

The workshop started with a presentation on the importance of human rights education and a debate on the reality of rights and freedoms in Iraq today. During the first part of the workshop, participants discussed the impact of the security situation on the freedoms in the country and the role of civil society in promoting peace and strengthening democracy, among other issues. The second part of the workshop- afternoon session- focused on the importance of freedom of expression and respect of the viewpoints of others. Participants shared their experiences and voiced their concerns, focusing on the challenges they face as journalists in Iraq. This was followed by a debate on ways in which freedoms of expression, thought, and the press could be protected and the rights of journalists promoted in Iraq.

The workshop’s second day discussed international agreements and laws, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Other topics discussed during the workshop included children’s and minority rights.