The Ateneo Human Rights Center (AHRC) and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) Philippines have signed a partnership agreement for Project HR Lens, an initiative designed to equip campus journalists in select universities across the National Capital Region (NCR) with the skills to integrate human rights perspectives into their reporting.

The ceremonial signing took place on Thursday, July 31, at the FNF Philippines office in Makati City. In attendance were FNF Philippines Country Director Dr. Almut Besold, AHRC Executive Director Atty. Nicolene Arcaina, AHRC Communications Director RJ Sangcap, and AHRC Office and Finance Manager Anna Katrina Paras.

Through interactive and hands-on training led by experts in journalism and human rights, Project HR Lens aims to provide student journalists with the tools and frameworks needed to consistently apply human rights principles in both story development and news gathering.

The project also seeks to foster a new generation of socially aware journalists who value human rights, champion social justice, and contribute to building a more ethical and responsible media landscape in the Philippines.

“One of the main goals in conceptualizing this project is to help campus journalists develop a strong understanding of human rights, and to empower them to apply that perspective in the way they tell stories,” said Atty. Arcaina.

AHRC Communications Director and Project Coordinator RJ Sangcap emphasized that applying a human rights lens helps journalists uphold dignity, fairness, and equality in their work.

“When journalists use a human rights lens, they are better able to handle sensitive issues thoughtfully, uphold ethical standards, and avoid sensationalism—especially when reporting on vulnerable communities,” Sangcap shared.

The project will begin with a baseline survey of campus journalists from selected Metro Manila universities. The results will help assess their current understanding of human rights and inform the development of a customized training module and human rights primer to be delivered in the next phase of the project.