Journalists urged to promote human rights instruments

The United Nations Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Central Africa, UNCHRD-CA, has urged Cameroonian journalists to promote and follow-up the implementation of Human Rights Instruments.

The call was made recently in Yaounde during a follow-up conference to discuss the role of the journalist in the promotion, follow-up and implementation of Human Rights instruments, especially among indigenous people.

Human Rights Activist, Nadine Mballa, stated that, as part of the follow-up measures, the Government should adapt its laws to suit indigenous peoples and solicit the help of the UNCHRD when needed and to adopt positive measures like allowing them access to all levels of education.

As part of the measures, the Human Rights body expects the creation of a follow-up mechanism, that the stakeholders exercise agreeable values at their various spheres, the creation of a strong synergy among the different national actors, the creation of a permanent control committee and effective communication among the players.

The conference that was aimed at getting people understand the problems of the indigenous people and the promotion of Human Rights among their folks, had the question of social justice as one of the major points of interest.

Nadine Mballa Wilson of the UNCHRD-CA describes the indigenous people as those who are mostly victims of marginalisation, a group of people who share a specific territory, have cultural similarities in the domains of language, social organisation, spiritual values and mode, and have an auto-identification.

The journalists, whose role cannot be undermined in community development, were urged to educate the public on the process, the recommendations, inform the lawmakers, inform and do positive analyses and criticisms, disseminate Government’s plan of action and continue regular follow-up.

The vital role of the journalists, like most commendable roles, will not be void of challenges, a press kit revealed. It revealed that possible challenges would involve lack of information, difficulty in getting authorities to collaborate, impenetrability of credible, critical and constructive information, and the politicising attitude of some press organs, amid others challenges.

Also discussed during the conference was the engagement of Cameroon, so far, in the implementation of Human Rights. Human Rights activist, Franklin Kiven Fonyuy, talking about the subject, urged Cameroonian stakeholders to make haste in adopting a legal instrument for Human Rights in the country; a request to which Cameroon indicated her willingness and signed.

According to Kiven, several universal instruments or accords have already been signed by Cameroon to fight the phenomena of human rights abuse. Among them; the Convention to Eliminate all Forms of Racial Discrimination,CERD, signed in December 1966, and ratified in 1971; the International Pact for Civil and Political Rights, IPCP, signed in June 27, 1984; the International Pact for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, IPESC, signed in June 27, 1984, and the Convention Against Torture, Cruel Treatment and Inhuman Degradation signed in December 19, 1986; and the Convention to Eliminate all Forms of Discrimination Among Women,CEFDW.

While awaiting the ratification of the aforementioned, other instrumental conventions for Human Rights signed include; the UN Convention for Handicapper’s Rights adopted on December 13, 2006; the International Convention for the Protection of Workers’ Rights, Immigrants and their Families, signed in December 19, 1990; the Faculty Convention of the Child’s Rights concerning the sales of children, prostitution and pornography with regards to children, signed in October 5, 2011, among others.

Regional instruments include the Convention for the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, CEDR, signed on December 12, 1966 and ratified in June 24, 1971; the International Pact for Human Rights and Politics signed in June 27, 1984; the International Pact for Economic, Social and Cultural Laws signed on June 27, 1984; the Convention Against Torture and Other Forms of Inhuman Treatment signed in December 19, 1986, among others.

The focus of these accords, ranging from discrimination, maltreatment to torture and others, are those vices which journalists are expected to discourage in their communication.