Campus journalists urged to promote human rights

The FEU Office of Student Involvement (OSI) and FEU Advocate hosted The Rights in Focus caravan, which is organized by the Ateneo Human Rights Center and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Philippines, as OSI continues to empower student journalists by equipping them with the knowledge and values necessary for responsible reporting. 

Tamaraw student journalists and campus leaders gathered at FEU University Conference Center last April 8 for the lecture series caravan, an initiative aimed at strengthening human rights awareness and ethical journalism practice in campus media. 

The session opened with Atty. Colene Arcaina, Executive Director of the Ateneo Human Rights Center, who discussed “Human Rights 101: Fundamentals of Human Rights Reporting.” She provided participants with a foundational understanding of human rights as both a legal framework and a lived experience, emphasizing the importance of integrating human dignity into journalistic practice. 

Arcaina encouraged participants to reflect on how journalism can become more humane and socially responsive, asking how reporting practices can better uphold human dignity in everyday narratives. 

Human rights journalist Carlos Conde followed with a discussion on rights-based and rights-sensitive reporting, underscoring the responsibilities of student journalists in covering issues within a complex and evolving media environment. He emphasized that journalism plays a critical role in amplifying dignity and ensuring accountability in society. 

Conde highlighted the evolving role of technology in journalism, noting that while artificial intelligence can be useful for fact-checking and research, it should not replace the core work of storytelling. He also encouraged student journalists to remain flexible and avoid rigidity in their practice, emphasizing that journalism is most powerful when used to promote human rights. 

Meanwhile, Friedrich Naumann Foundation Project Head for the Philippines Dr. Almut Besold said campus journalism continues to face challenges such as censorship and misinformation. “You are not just storytellers—you are truth seekers and defenders of values,” said Besold. She further stressed the importance of accuracy, ethics, and inclusivity in reporting, especially in student-led media platforms. 

The program highlighted the importance of a free and responsible press in shaping informed communities, as discussed in the opening remarks delivered by FEU Vice President for Student Development and Continuing Education Dr. Joeven R. Castro, who underscored journalism’s role in safeguarding truth and democratic values. 

Communications Director and Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) Project Head RJ Sangcap also emphasized the initiative’s goal of strengthening human rights knowledge among young journalists and encouraging meaningful engagement in public discourse. 

The Rights in Focus caravan continues to empower student journalists by equipping them with the knowledge and values necessary for responsible reporting, while also reinforcing the importance of ethical and rights-based journalism. 

This initiative reflects the growing importance of human rights education in journalism training, particularly as student media navigate issues of misinformation, censorship, and ethical responsibility in the digital age. Through programs like Rights in Focus, Tamaraws become socially aware and ethically grounded student journalists.