Under the patronage of the Dean of the College of Engineering at University of Baghdad, the College’s Human Rights Unit, in cooperation with the Media and Government Communication Division, the Continuing Education Unit, and the Department of Surveying Engineering, organized a workshop on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, entitled “Community Media and Its Role in Exposing Human Rights Violations.”
The workshop was delivered by Asst. Lecturer Rasha Hussein Hamid, Director of the Media and Government Communication Division, and Asst. Lecturer Sofea Mohammed Salim, in the presence of a number of faculty members, staff, and students.
The workshop aimed to highlight the role of community media as an effective tool for monitoring violations and promoting a culture of human rights within the university community. It also sought to develop students’ skills in information verification and professional engagement with human rights issues in accordance with ethical and legal standards.
Asst. Lecturer Rasha Hussein Hamid addressed the concept and characteristics of community media, pointing out the differences between community and traditional media, and emphasizing its role in empowering individuals and amplifying their voices. She also stressed the importance of credibility and accuracy in documentation to serve the public interest.
Meanwhile, Asst. Lecturer Sofea Mohammed Salim focused on the legal and ethical dimensions of handling human rights issues, underscoring the necessity of protecting victims’ privacy and highlighting the role of media and academic institutions in spreading awareness and fostering a culture of mutual respect.
The workshop concluded with several recommendations, most notably the integration of human rights concepts into university media activities, organizing specialized training courses for students in professional coverage of human rights issues, and supporting purposeful student-led community media initiatives while adhering to ethical and legal standards to ensure reliable content that serves the public interest and safeguards individual rights.
The event concluded by reaffirming that community media represents a powerful tool in promoting social justice and disseminating a culture of human rights, while strengthening the university community’s ability to address violations responsibly and effectively.
