Faisalabad: August 31, 2013. (PCP) Media should keep the government accountable through media attention towards plight of minority groups, and should play its role by raising awareness, using proper language and right terminologies when addressing minority issues, this was emphasized by the human rights defenders at a media sensitization workshop under the auspices of the Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM) held at Faisalabad on August 25, 2013. Speaking on the occasion, a senior journalist and renowned human rights defender, Wajahat Masood said, “The journalists must educate citizens about the implications and effects of the sectarian hatred on the grounds of belief, language and ethnicity, and emphasize on the importance of promotion of religious tolerance, social harmony and protection of religious freedom for the sake of preservation of human civilization.” “The media should avoid publishing and airing material which promotes ideas contradictory to the social harmony and harming peace environment among diverse communities, and incites hatred against any minority group leaving them with sense of insecurity and vulnerability,” he added. He further said, “The discrimination transfers from laws to society, from social customs to politics, and political norms to economy and this vicious cycle of discrimination continues, and creates an intolerant society. Therefore, proper terminologies must be used for minority groups as a foremost step in the laws and media, which they like and feel proud to be called with, as a contribution to social harmony, and respect for fellow citizens and communities.” The program director of the AWAM, Naseem Anthony said, “The media actors has to be well-informed about human rights issues in order to responsibly play a critical monitoring and reporting function in the observance of human rights as part of its broader watchdog role.” “The media should set the benchmarks for best practice through informing, educating and critiquing,” he added. The monitoring officer of the AWAM, Zarfishan Nasir said, “The duties and rights of journalists are derived from this right of the public to know facts and opinions. The media has a significant role in educating rights holders about human rights, exposing human rights violations, enabling human rights protection and observance through its role as a provider of strategic information to society.” “The media persons must fulfill their vital role effectively of gathering information and reporting by adopting spirit of the truth, no matter what consequences it may bring. Because the media is looked to as the agent and means through which citizens learn about human rights violations,” she added. The media sensitization workshop brought together over 25 journalists from a broad spectrum of media outlets to promote human rights and social harmony through media. The workshop focused on issues such as professional ethics among media actors, and increasing their sensitization to play their critical role in addressing human rights violations particularly in the context of right to freedom of belief, and enhancing their knowledge and skills to undertake high-quality investigative reports, editorials and features leading to social harmony rather than instigating fundamentalist groups within community.