(Reprinted from a news release)

jhr (Journalists for Human Rights) and the Canadian Association of
Journalists have announced the creation of a new award for Canadian
journalists.

The jhr/CAJ Award for Human Rights Reporting will be given to a
deserving Canadian journalist for the first time at the 2012 CAJ conference at
the Royal York Hotel in Toronto.
The award will recognize excellence in human rights reporting. Submissions will
be accepted from Canadian journalists reporting from the world over, including
within Canada.

“Joining the CAJ’s annual awards program allows jhr to
continue increasing its profile among Canadian journalists across
Canada,” jhr co-founder and executive director Ben Peterson said. “That
helps us in our mission of
helping the journalists we work with around the world produce and
distribute
media that can start and sustain conversations about human rights
issues.”

The new award will join the annual CAJ awards, which recognize the
nation’s top investigative journalism and excellence in journalism across all
media in 14 different categories. All the information on eligibility, selection
criteria and what’s included for the winner will be released by the end of year
as part of the 2011 CAJ Awards package. This information will be posted to both
www.jhr.ca and www.caj.ca
at that time.

“We’re honoured to partner with jhr – an organization that does
such inspirational, foundational work with media around the world, along with
20 student-led chapters here in Canada and
journalists working in Canada’s top newsrooms,” CAJ president Mary Agnes Welch said. “We’re proud of this new
relationship and excited for what it brings to journalists who enter our annual
awards.”

jhr is Canada’s largest international media development
organization. Its goal – to make everyone in the world fully aware of their
rights – is as unique as it is powerful. Both in Canada
and abroad, jhr works in close partnership with local media owners and editors,
journalists, journalism professors and students, to improve the overall media
environment and make the world a better place.

The CAJ is Canada’s largest
national professional organization for journalists from all media, representing
about 800 members across the country. The CAJ’s primary roles are to provide
high-quality professional development for its members and public-interest
advocacy.