The document outlines the constitution and by-laws of Rights Media Liberia Inc. (RiMEL Inc.), a non-profit organization established to promote and protect human rights in Liberia through media engagement and public awareness efforts. The summary includes: 1) RiMEL Inc.'s mission is to improve media understanding of human rights and ensure greater public education and awareness of universal rights. 2) The organization's objectives include enhancing media training on human rights, community engagement, monitoring human rights issues, and establishing human rights clubs in schools. 3) The organization is headquartered in Monrovia and aims to have sub-offices across Liberia. It is governed by a National Co

1. 1
Draft Constitution and By-laws of Rights Media Liberia Inc.
Preamble
RiMEL Inc. is a not for profit, non-religious and non-governmental
organization establish on the basis of promoting and protecting human
rights and dignity. It also seeks to improve general media understanding
of human rights, including major international and domestic legislations
and conventions, as the basis of ensuring greater public education,
awareness and application of these universal rights. RiMEL’s Inc. vision
is to, among other things, ‘endeavor for a just society where every voice
counts, tolerance takes precedent’. Article 1 of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights (UDHR) states that “All persons are born free and
equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and
conscience and shall act towards one another in a spirit of
brotherhood.”
Former United Nations Secretary General Kofa Annan also asserts:
“Human rights are what make us human. They are the principles by
which we create the sacred home for human dignity... Human rights are
what reason requires and conscience commands. They are us and we
are them. Human rights are rights that any person has as a human
being. We are all human beings; we are all deserving of human rights.
One cannot be true without the other…. Where have you heard a free
voice demand an end to freedom? Where have you heard a slave argue

2. 2
for slavery? When have you heard a victim of torture endorse the ways
of the torturer? Where have you heard the tolerant cry for intolerance?
The absence of tolerance and human rights is not only a denial of
human dignity. It is also the root of the suffering and hatred that breeds
political violence and inhibits economic development…. When we speak
of human right to life, or development, or to dissent and diversity, we
are speaking of tolerance. Tolerance promoted, protected and enshrined
will ensure all freedoms. Without it, we can be certain of none. Human
rights are the expression of those traditions of tolerance in all cultures
that are the basis of peace and progress. Human rights are, properly
understood and justly interpreted, are foreign to no culture and native
to all nations.” Liberia has enjoyed and maintained relatively fragile
peace and stability under the leadership of President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf for over a decade now. The country peace and stability is said to
be fragile due to different factors, including but not limited to: exclusion,
religious tension, and ethnicity, lack of access to roads and basic
services, limited or no information, tribal believes, political affiliations
among others.
In as much as the government and partners have endeavored for
improvements in certain aspects of human rights, the general human
rights situation in Liberia over the years has been dire, seeking need for
greater reforms and practical actions that would move the country
ahead. The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has persistently

3. 3
flagged among many things, in its ‘Human Rights’ reports on Liberia
that delays in and absence of the rule of law and administration of
justice, deplorable prison facilities and condition of inmates, domestic
violence, including rape and sexual gender based violence and others
still remain of serious concern. Concerns about human rights in Liberia
have also considered economic, social and cultural rights, tolerance and
harmful traditional practices. Different institutions/organizations,
including the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), the Liberia Media Center
(LMC), the Center for Media Studies and Peace-building (CEMSP) have
separately alarmed about threats to ‘freedom of speech and expression,’
while institutions as, the Center for Transparency and Accountability in
Liberia (CENTAL), the Global Witness (GW) and others have also flagged
lack of proper accountability in the country’s resources and other
governance systems. According to the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP support to the implementation of the Sustainable
Development Goals- SDGs Goal 10); in a sample of 116 countries,
household income inequality increased by 11% in developing countries
between 1990 and 2010 while a significant majority of households in
developing countries – more than 75% of the population are living in
societies where income is more unequally distributed than it was in the
1990s.
It is best to state that a regime where human rights are applied and
respected would generally improve the livelihoods of its citizens. The

4. 4
Rights Media Liberia Inc. is therefore concern that for long in Liberia,
human rights issues have been seen and considered more in terms of
rights relating to politician and media, without considering such diverse
rights such as economic and cultural rights, rights to peaceful, secured
and tolerant environment, that are even more quintessential to the
development of the human person.
We are cognizant that ensuring human rights in post war Liberia will
have to be from a position of knowledge, which we believe can best be
provided within the framework of massive public awareness that falls
within the ambit of the media.
It’s therefore become a challenge to RiMEL Inc. to join force with other
media development organizations/institutions to improve general media
understanding of human rights, including major international and
domestic legislations and conventions, as the basis of ensuring greater
public education, awareness and application of these universal rights; in
accordance with count #5 of the African Youth Declaration on Post-
2015 Agenda (The future we want) titled: Good Governance, Peace and
Security which recommends that, “ Government and civil society
organizations should educate the public with special emphasis on the
youth (women and other vulnerable population) and increase their
awareness level on their roles, rights and responsibilities as citizens.

5. 5
It is within this framework that the Rights Media Liberia Incorporated,
a champion for human rights and media development is formed to
pursue this with the hope that it will promote better understanding of
human rights in Liberia through the following:
 Enhance specialized media capacity on human rights and
development through training;
 Engage in advocacy and public awareness through
community engagements;
 Periodic field visits to ascertain facts about human rights
situations in remote and rural communities;
 Encourage increased media coverage on human rights and
development issues across Liberia;
 Establish human rights clubs in various academic institutions
in Liberia;
 Support human rights investigative missions/reporting trips
to report isolated cases of human rights;
 Build a vibrant network of human rights champions across
Liberia (media, academia, community, CSOs etc.);
 From time-to-time, conduct human rights awareness
campaigns at different youth forums and intellectual centers;
 Engage in other meaningful and lawful activities as may
deemed necessary to promote tolerance and increase
human rights awareness across Liberia.

6. 6
 Publication and dissemination of human rights and SDGs
education and awareness magazine and other materials.
Rights Media Liberia Inc. will also endeavor for a Liberia where
tolerance is promoted, protected and enshrined to ensure all freedoms.
Increased human rights education and tolerance awareness in a society
where intolerance, mob and other forms of violence, mostly perpetrated
by young people is increasingly becoming the order of the day is vital.
Being aware of the responsibilities which are associated with violation of
trust, and information delivery to the public; and bearing in mind our
vision to ‘endeavor for a just society where every voice counts, tolerance
takes precedent’, do hereby solemnly make, establish, proclaim and
publish these Constitution and By-laws for the effective governance of
RiMEL Inc.
Article I: Name of Organization
The name of this organization shall be THE RIGHTS MEDIA LIBERIA
INCORPORATED otherwise known as, RiMEL Inc.
Article II: Objectives
RiMEL Inc. is established for the following objectives:
1. Enhance specialized media capacity on human rights
and development through training;

7. 7
2. Engage in advocacy and public awareness through
community engagements;
3. Periodic field visits to ascertain facts about human
rights situations in remote and rural communities;
4. Encourage increased media coverage on human rights
and development, including the SDGs issues across
Liberia;
5. Establish human rights clubs in various academic
institutions in Liberia;
6. Support human rights investigative missions/reporting
trips to report isolated cases of human rights;
7. Build a vibrant network of human rights champions
across Liberia (media, academia, community, CSOs
etc.);
8. From time-to-time, conduct human rights awareness
campaigns at different youth forums and intellectual
centers;
9. Engage in other meaningful and lawful activities as
may deemed necessary to promote tolerance and
increase human rights awareness across Liberia
10. Publication and dissemination of human rights
and SDGs education and awareness magazine and
other materials.

8. 8
Article III: Mission
To improve general media understanding of human rights, including
major international and domestic legislations and conventions, as the
basis of ensuring greater public education, awareness and application of
these universal rights.
Article IV: Vision
RiMEL Inc. envisions to, among other things, ‘endeavor for a just society
where every voice counts, tolerance takes precedent’.
Article V: Our Code Values
“Professionalism, Integrity, Transparency, Accountability and Dignity for
All”
Article VI: Moto
‘Dignity for All’
Article VII: Headquarters
The Organization shall be headquartered in Monrovia with sub-
offices/chapters across Liberia.
Article VIII: Membership

9. 9
Membership shall be opened to everyone ready and willing to champion
the course of human rights in Liberia. This shall, however be subjected
to other lawful and administrative formalities including signing of
behavior bone and integrity screening. Members are also required to
exhibit high degree of professionalism, integrity and respect for human
rights and dignity at all times.
Article IX: Officials
The day-to-day activities of the organization shall be run by a corps of
officers comprising: a National Coordinator, with three assistant
coordinators- for Administration/Finance and Budget;
Programmes/Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation; and
Training/Outreach and Partnership, assisted by other administrative and
support staff. Professionalism, integrity, transparency, accountability and
respect for human dignity shall be the hallmark or the core value of this
organization. Towards this end, all officials shall be subjected to the
signing of a legal commitment/memorandum. All officials and members
of RiMEL Inc. shall exhibit high degree of professionalism and integrity
at all times. RiMEL Inc. places zero tolerant on corruption, intolerance
and any act of impropriety.
Article X: Duties and Responsibilities of Officials
a) National Coordinator

10. 10
It shall be the duty of the National Coordinator to:
 Presides over all meetings of RiMEL Inc. and serves as the
overall administrator
 Enforce adherence/or compliance to the organization’s
Constitution and By-laws and all rules and regulations of the
entity
 Oversees the overall running of the organization and the
power to appoint and recruit in consultation with the Board
of Governors
 Authorizing/approving signatory to all contracts or other
written obligations of the organization
 Official spokesperson for RiMEL Inc. and serves as the lead
lobbyist for the organization
 Responsible for the building of strong partnership and
network with donors and other partners
 Perform other tasks as deemed necessary for the smooth
operations of the organization.
b) Assistant Coordinator for Administration/Finance and Budget
 Oversees the financial and administrative matters for the
organization

11. 11
 Ensures the day-to-day administration of the organization
and represents to organization in the absent of the National
Coordinator and when designated
 Serves as fundraiser and the crafter and custodian of the
organization budget and all financial transactions
 Responsible for the development of financial policy and
stringent guidelines for the management of the
organization’s finances.
c) Assistant Coordinator for Programmes/Planning, Monitoring
and Evaluation
 Is responsible for programming, planning and the monitoring
and evaluation of all operations of the organization
 Directly supervises all chapters and sub-offices of the
organization
 Responsible for the proper planning of all programmes
d) Assistant Coordinator for Training/Outreach and Partnership
 Responsible for all training activities and outreach/
community engagement activities
 Responsible for the development of RiMEL Inc. training
manual and the lead trainer

12. 12
 Executes all outreach programmes and community
engagement activities
 Responsible to build strong partnerships and network with
different institutions and organizations
 Also serves as a lobbyer for the organization
 Oversees all training activities for the organization at the
national and local levels
Article XI: Board of Governors
The board of governors shall comprise of reputable individuals working
for the attainment of human rights in Liberia and shall constitute at least
five (5) members. This body, led by a chairperson, shall serve as
guidance and advisor for the organization. They shall constitute the
highest decision making body for RiMEL Inc. Members of the board
shall be drawn from the media, civil society and the community. Its
membership shall be gender sensitive.
RiMEL Inc. builds its operations around five (5) key principles/standards,
Professionalism, Integrity, Transparency, Accountability and Dignity for
All. RiMEL Inc. considers all of its members as ‘Human Rights Agents’.
It’s therefore imperative that they live up to these principles/standards
at all times.
XII: Amendment

13. 13
The organization shall reserve the right, alter, change or repeal
contained in this Constitution and By-laws now and hereafter.

14. 14