NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Human Rights Awareness program at Gopalgonj Full Time Member Kazi Reazul Hoque, Human Rights Awareness program at Gopalgonj enforcement officials, journalists and others, engaged in discussion about their roles as professionals and the duties of their institutions in ensuring respect for human rights in Bangladesh. Representatives of the local administration appreciated the clarification of the obligation to comply with NHRC’s directions and recommendations. They committed to extend full cooperation to the NHRC in the protection and promotion of human rights. 4 NHRC engages Human Rights Defenders. Twenty-five Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) participated in a two-day training programme in November 2011. Objectives of the training were to strengthen the capacity of human rights defenders to monitor and report on human rights violations and to inform them about the role and mandate of the NHRC. Equally important was reaching out to NHRC Chairman Prof. Dr. Mizanur Rahman at Human Rights Trainning Program for Human Rights Defender develop a partnership with HRDs to work together on providing better support to victims of human rights violations, advocating for better governance and government policy to secure the effective implementation of human rights treaties. The participants evaluated the training as extremely useful and effectively presented. Participants are now included in the project/NHRC contact list in order to establish regular communication about the activities of the NHRC and participant organizations. Similar training is planned or other target stakeholder groups, after which follow-up trainings will be developed and conducted. 5 Commission dialogues with media personalities. As an introduction to a the series of training activities for journalists, the NHRC organised a dialogue with senior media personalities to build rapport with them and to solicit input on the preparation of a journalist’s training manual on human rights. About 30 journalists from 20 news media outlets participated in the dialogue where they made some important suggestions on the scope and content of the training modules. The event was an excellent opportunity to establish relationship with senior management of media organizations. A major outcome of the program was the recommendation that each media house designate a human rights focal point in their organization. 41