The Minister of Information, Dr. Ramzan Al-Nuaimi, stressed the important and important role of the media and local newspapers in Bahrain by introducing the National Plan for Human Rights 2027-2031 and highlighting its results.
This came during the third workshop of the plan preparation workshops, entitled “The role of media, press and the national work plan for human rights”, which was held in his presence through visual communication, with the participation of 140 participants from officials, representatives of ministries and concerned parties member of the National Human Rights Committee.
The session was conducted by the head of the Human Rights Affairs Sector at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Arwa Al -Sayed, in the presence of a number of members of the diplomatic and consular corps of Bahrain abroad, the ambassadors of the brotherly and friendly countries accredited to the Kingdom, representatives of the United Nations offices, and representatives of civil society institutions.
In the opening session, Al -Nuaimi delivered a speech in which he expressed pride and pride in the advanced levels that Bahrain has reached in the level of the protection and promotion of human rights, in compliance with the wise vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the king of the country, with the support and continuous follow -up by the government headed by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince.
The minister praised the mechanisms and initiatives included in the national human rights plan, whose principles and goals were formulated in line with the authentic identity of Bahrain and what is appropriate for the privacy of its community.
He also praised the relevant efforts made by the plan in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to follow up and evaluate the mechanisms of its implementation, hoping that the workshop will come out with the results and practical recommendations that contribute to the success of the plan to achieving the goals for which it was set.
While the Director General of Legal Affairs and Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Youssef Bojiri, stressed in a speech, the importance of the role of the press and the media in preparing the national human rights plan, noting the necessity of continuing cooperation, coordination and solidarity of national efforts between the various relevant bodies of what would achieve the desired goals and aspirations.
He spoke in the first working session entitled “The role of the media in highlighting positive photos in the field of human rights and addressing challenges”, both the CEO of the National Communication Center Ahmed Al -Arifi, the director of the United Nations Media Center Ahmed bin Al -Aswad, and the acting head of the preparation and application department of the TV administration Fatima Zaman, and the media Nisreen Maarouf.
He spoke in the second working session entitled “The media as a basic tool in promoting and protecting human rights,” by the President of the Bahraini Journalists Association, Issa Al -Shayji, the editor -in -chief of the newspaper “Al -Watan” Abdullah Al -Hami, the editor -in -chief of the Gulf News newspaper, Mr. Zahra, and the editorial secretary of the country, Rashid Al -Ghareeb.
As for the third working session, which was entitled “The Equipment of Human Rights as part in public culture and societal awareness,” in which each of the editor -in -chief of Al -Ayyam Al -Rasr newspaper, Safa Matar from the Bahrain Society for Human Rights Monitoring Association spoke, and the journalist Dr. Lawla Boudlama, and the journalist Muhammad Al -Mahmoud.
At the end of the sessions, the most prominent proposals and recommendations aimed at increasing the active role of the media and the press in Bahrain were discussed.
During the workshop, “Al -Watan” editor, Abdullah Ilhami presented a working paper in which he dealt with developments in the Bahraini media, and its role in strengthening the human rights image of the state.
He pointed to the importance of “humanity” the media content by converting numbers and statistics into realistic stories that affect the public, saying: “Today the reader is in a hurry, but a human story about a beneficiary of the national plan is able to deliver the message in a deeper way.”
Ilhami suggested the establishment of a permanent media center for human rights, which will be in cooperation between the Ministry of Information, the Bahraini Journalists Association, and the media institutions, noting that this center can work to coordinate media campaigns, train journalists to cover human rights, and produce an awareness digital content that suits different groups, especially young people.
It also dealt with the transformations taking place in the Bahraini media, and the importance of strengthening its role in supporting the national human rights plan. He pointed out that the biggest challenge today is not in the abundance of information, but rather how to present it in an influential manner that reaches the audience, and stimulates him to interact.
“The Bahraini press today has advanced digital tools, but it needs to invest in a human way closer to people.”
He explained that the press is no longer just a way to transfer information, but rather has become a platform for making influence and formulating societal awareness, noting that the use of short videos, comic stories, and digital reports has become an effective tool in communicating human rights messages in a simple and effective manner.
He also stressed the importance of launching periodic press campaigns to introduce the developments of the National Plan for Human Rights, and to invest artificial intelligence in this aspect by analyzing societal interaction and directing content in a way that achieves the optimal impact.
Ilhami added, that the press today has a great public impact, but it is required to keep pace with this effect with a professional responsibility, and that they are able to communicate national and legal values in an attractive and transparent manner.
