THE INTER-AMERICAN Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) will be awarding two fellowships to journalists from the Caribbean, later this year. Clare Kamau Roberts, president of the IACHR made the announcement of the fellowships on Wednesday at the opening ceremony of a two-day seminar on human rights for some 19 Caribbean journalists at the Jolly Beach Resort Hotel in St. John's, Antigua. Mr. Roberts, who is also an Antiguan said that through these fellowships, the selected journalists would work for two months at the headquarters of the IACHR at the offices of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression in Washington D.C. FIRST HAND OBSERVATION "The objective of these fellowships is to give the journalists an opportunity to observe first hand and participate in the work of the Rapporteurship for Freedom of Expression and the IACHR," said Mr. Roberts. He said the journalists would also have the opportunity to meet with representatives of other international organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The two journalists would be selected on the basis of an application process, which would include consideration of their professional background, letters of recommendations and essays, said Mr. Roberts. After two months, Mr. Roberts said the journalists would be required to present a written evaluation of their experience at the end of the fellowships and to assist in the development of training programmes for journalists on human rights issues in their home countries. Applications for the fellowships close on August 30. Further information on the fellowships can be accessed at www.cidh.org Mr. Roberts noted that the awarding of the fellowships was to encourage journalists in the region to be more active participants in the Inter-American System. He said that the IACHR is aiming to train 20 journalists from the Caribbean on the Inter-American System and its standards on freedom of expression and press freedom. "This will enable them to use the system in order to address violation of the rights as well as to promote understanding of these rights to prevent future violations," he said. Reprinted from jamaica-gleaner.com