A project focusing on how the Pacific's media can foster human rights is to be launched later this year.
The New Zealand aid funded project will involve New Zealand's Human Rights Commission and Pacific Co-operation Foundation, and the principal regional media body, the Pacific Islands News Association,, or PINA.
The three year project - Enhancing Human Rights Competency for, and with, the Pacific media - will be a key discussion point at this year's PINA conference in Honiara.
The New Zealand Human Rights Commissioner, Dr Judy McGregor, who has also had a long involvement in journalism, says the media has a critical role in enhancing accountability, governance and human rights.
"And we have been interested in working with Pacific Islands media to see how better we might join forces in a partnership arrangement between journalism educators and news media folk on the ground in Pacific states, around better reporting of human rights issues."
