GENEVA / HUMAN RIGHTS SOCIAL MEDIA

The United Nations has launched a social media campaign to encourage people to get involved in the global human rights movement, inspired by the role played by tools such as Facebook and Twitter in the awakening that transformed parts of the Arab world this year. CH UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:59
• Production Date: 1 December 2011
• Asset Language: Original
• Subject Topical: EDUCATION; HUMAN RIGHTS; COMMUNICATIONS; MASS MEDIA
• MAMS Id: U111201f

Description

STORY: GENEVA / HUMAN RIGHTS SOCIAL MEDIA
TRT: 1.59
SOURCE: CH UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS

DATELINE: 1 DECEMBER 2011, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE

Shotlist

FILE – RECENT, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, Palais des Nations

1 DECEMBER 2011, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

2. Med shot, journalists
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“Although we must mourn the lives of many, including just in recent days during the remorseless assault on various towns and cities in Syria, in renewed excessive use of force in Cairo, and in efforts to subvert the elections taking place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we also have cause to celebrate. The message of this unexpected global awakening was carried in the first instance, not by the satellites of major media conglomerates, or conferences, or other traditional means, although these all played a role, but by the dynamic and irrepressible surge of Social Media. The results have been startling."
4. Med shot, journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“Today as in the past, editorial and financial factors, as well as access, determine whether or not protests, and oppression or protests, are televised or reported in newspapers around the world. But wherever it happens you can guarantee it will be tweeted on Twitter, posted on Facebook, broadcast on Youtube and uploaded onto the internet. Governments no longer hold the ability to monopolize the dissemination of information and censor what it says. Instead we are seeing real lives, in real struggle, broadcast in real time, and it is, in many ways, an exhilarating sight. In sum, in 2011, human rights went viral.”
6. Med shot, journalists

Storyline

The United Nations (UN) has launched a social media campaign to encourage people to get involved in the global human rights movement, inspired by the role played by tools such as Facebook and Twitter in the awakening that transformed parts of the Arab world this year.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay noted that the popular uprisings across North Africa and the Middle East illustrated the power and reach of social media, as millions of people demanding greater rights and freedoms harnessed Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other tools.

SOUNDBITE (English) Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“Although we must mourn the lives of many, including just in recent days during the remorseless assault on various towns and cities in Syria, in renewed excessive use of force in Cairo, and in efforts to subvert the elections taking place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we also have cause to celebrate. The message of this unexpected global awakening was carried in the first instance, not by the satellites of major media conglomerates, or conferences, or other traditional means, although these all played a role, but by the dynamic and irrepressible surge of Social Media. The results have been startling."

The so-called Arab awakening has already led to the toppling of long-standing regimes in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen, and to ongoing protests in a number of other countries. Social media has been a crucial tool in these events.

SOUNDBITE (English) Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“Today as in the past, editorial and financial factors, as well as access, determine whether or not protests, and oppression or protests, are televised or reported in newspapers around the world. But wherever it happens you can guarantee it will be tweeted on Twitter, posted on Facebook, broadcast on Youtube and uploaded onto the internet. Governments no longer hold the ability to monopolize the dissemination of information and censor what it says. Instead we are seeing real lives, in real struggle, broadcast in real time, and it is, in many ways, an exhilarating sight. In sum, in 2011, human rights went viral.”

The campaign launched by the High Commissioner’s Office (OHCHR) comes ahead of Human Rights Day, observed annually on 10 December – the birthday of the Declaration.

Meanwhile, questions are pouring in via different social media platforms for a global human rights dialogue the High Commissioner is hosting on the eve of Human Rights Day that will be webcast and streamed live.