Canadian group seeks partnership with PUNCH on human rights reporting, others

Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), a Canada-based media development organization, expressed interest in partnering with PUNCH Newspapers to provide human rights journalism training and professional development opportunities to PUNCH's journalists. Michael Cooke, JHR's board chair, visited PUNCH's headquarters in Magboro, Ogun State, to understand the newspaper's operations, particularly its digital journalism, and explore potential collaboration areas.

JHR aims to train journalists and management on human rights issues to promote positive change in their communities. The organization also seeks to empower the public to understand and advocate for their rights safely. Cooke highlighted the need for journalists to be adequately trained in digital journalism, investigative reporting, and journalists' safety and security, as identified in an assessment of the Nigerian journalism industry.

PUNCH's Editor, Joel Nwokeoma, questioned the survey's representativeness and emphasized the importance of a broader sampling to accurately assess the Nigerian journalism industry's needs. Nwokeoma also highlighted PUNCH's track record of using journalism to campaign on public-interest and human rights issues, citing the case of Ese Oruru, a 13-year-old abducted for marriage.