Journalists’ Perceptions of Human Rights Reporting in Rwanda

Abstract

News media play a role in increasing public understanding of human rights issues. Yet, little scholarship has analysed human rights reporting in developing or post-conflict nations. Interviews with Rwandan journalists revealed that, in this post-genocide era of reconstruction, reporters define human rights broadly and believe reporting on abuses has a positive impact on the abuse. However, a lack of press freedom inhibits human rights reporting, thus prohibiting journalists from fulfilling their social responsibility.

Keywords:

• Rwanda
• press freedom
• human rights
• journalism
• interviews
• news