Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) is Canada's largest international media development organization, founded in 2002 by Benjamin Peterson and Alexandra Sicotte-Levesque. Based in Toronto, Ontario, JHR aims to empower journalists to cover human rights stories effectively, promoting awareness and change in communities worldwide[1][3]. ## Key Activities and Programs - Global Reach: JHR has partnered with over 400 media organizations across 29 countries, training more than 17,650 journalists. Their stories have reached over 76 million people[1]. - Country-Specific Initiatives: - Democratic Republic of Congo: JHR has worked with over 1,450 journalists to address human rights abuses and governance issues[1]. - Jordan: Trained over 250 journalists, focusing on human rights reporting and freedom of expression[1]. - South Africa: Launched the Journalism and Media Lab (JAMLab) to support young journalists and media entrepreneurs[1]. - Syria: Created a network of Syrian journalists to enhance reporting on human rights[1]. - Canada: Implemented the Indigenous Reporters Program to promote journalism in Indigenous communities[1]. ## Mission and Approach JHR's mission is to inspire and mobilize media to cover human rights stories, using a rights-based "reciprocal change" approach that involves local partnerships and stakeholder engagement[1][3]. The organization believes that raising awareness about human rights is crucial for ending abuses and empowering marginalized communities[1]. ## Funding and Partnerships JHR is a registered Canadian charity, funded by various international and Canadian agencies, governments, foundations, and individual donors. It partners with organizations like the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and Global News for training and media projects[1][3].