Journalists for Human Rights

JHR (Journalists for Human Rights)
Formation2002
Typenon-profit organization
HeadquartersToronto, Ontario, Canada
Websitewww.jhr.ca

Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) is Canada's largest international media development organization. Based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, JHR was founded in 2002 by Benjamin Peterson and Alexandra Sicotte-Levesque in 2002.[1] JHR's mission is to inspire and mobilize media to cover human rights stories in ways that help communities help themselves. The organization's vision is for everyone in the world to access their human rights.[citation needed]

JHR believes that "Creating rights awareness is the first and most necessary step to ending the abuse of human rights. By mobilizing the media to spread human rights awareness, JHR informs people about human rights, empowering marginalized communities to stand up, speak out, and protect themselves."[2] JHR has partnered with over 400 media organizations in 29 different countries to train over 17,650 journalists. Their human rights stories have reached over 76 million people.[citation needed]

JHR employs a rights-based "reciprocal change" approach, a process that involves local media partnerships and consultations with editors and owners, working journalists, students, civil society and other relevant stakeholders within a region.[3]

JHR is currently led by Rachel Pulfer, its Executive Director.[4] It has ongoing programs in Mali, Kenya, and works with Syrian journalists in Turkey, Tunisia, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Canada.[citation needed]

  1. ^ Davis, Nicholas, "Africa got under his skin", Toronto Sun, November 1, 2004
  2. ^ "Journalists for Human Rights," accessed February 3, 2009
  3. ^ "jhr's 'Reciprocal Change' Model". Archived from the original on 2009-02-23. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  4. ^ "The Team | JHR". www.jhr.ca. Archived from the original on September 12, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-30.