Part II Preventing torture: NHRIs in action | Section III Acting as a control mechanism Some avenues that NHRIs can use to communicate with the general public include: • holding a major press conference to encourage news reporting on the issue • mobilizing leading public figures in support of the campaign, which could also include testimonies of victims • preparing opinion editorials and Letters to the Editor • developing community awareness spots for radio and television • placing advertisements in major newspapers • incorporating the issue into popular television drama series or radio programmes • distributing posters and leaflets • organizing a public petition. It is important to select an appropriate time to launch the campaign. One option is to use the momentum created by various international days, such as • International Day in Support of Victims of Torture; 26 June • Human Rights Day; 10 December • World AIDS Day (for a campaign on issues related to HIV/AIDS in prisons); 1 December. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, OHCHR launched the Dignity and Justice for Detainees Week, on 6–12 October 2008. The Uganda Human Rights Commission used the occasion to implement a wide range of activities. The Commission launched the week with a public procession through the capital, Kampala, attracting over 200 marchers from civil society organizations, the police, prison officials, government ministries, Commission staff, students, academics, journalists and the public. The procession drew attention to the rights of detainees and, at the end of the six-kilometre march, speeches were made by a representative of the Chief Justice and representatives from the Commission and NGOs. During the week, the Commission organized a Round Table Stakeholders Meeting on the promotion and protection of the rights of inmates. The meeting brought together 60 participants from civil society, the prison services, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Parliament and received significant coverage in the print and electronic media. Watch Go to the Preventing Torture CD-Rom to watch Graeme Innes, from the Australian Human Rights Commission, discussing how NHRIs can engage the media to promote awareness and action on human rights issues. Click on ‘Feature materials’ and then select ‘Item 15 – Promoting public awareness’. 3. Raising awareness among persons deprived of their liberty NHRIs can also consider running education programmes that provide information to persons deprived of their liberty and those who are most at risk of torture or ill-treatment. Chapter 9: Promoting public awareness | 95