In February 2017, I helped deliver a two-day workshop on working with the media for the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission.
Formally established in 2014, the Commission has a mandate to promote and protect human rights across the newly-democratic country, which is home to more than 55 million people.
It is a big job and the Commission recognises the important role of the media to cover stories that raise human rights issues and principles.
The workshop, held on 21-22 February 2017, was organised by the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and I was fortunate to work with their Communications Director, Gabriel Stein.
There was a mix of theory and practical activities, with a strong focus on how organisations can respond positively to a media crisis.
Commissioners and staff took part in a mock crisis scenario, planning how they would address the issue and preparing a nominated spokesperson for a media interview.
Digital storytelling was discussed throughout, with Commissioners and staff very interested in using this approach to bolster their presence on social media and in their outreach work with communities.
