CFWIJ Celebrates Women Journalists Around The World on International Women’s Day

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On International Women’s Day, The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) salutes the remarkable contribution of women journalists to groundbreaking reporting. As we celebrate these journalists, we reiterate the alarming deterioration of their safety worldwide. Women’s voices continue to be underrepresented and belittled in the media. CFWIJ joins the worldwide celebration of International Women’s Day. We use this occasion to appreciate female reporters who, despite the glass ceiling and systematic sexism, tirelessly seek the truth. This is also an appropriate moment to amplify the severe threats that women journalists endure to continue their reporting. While this year’s edition focuses on challenging the current order, CFWIJ persists in confronting the ever-present gender bias and inequality in the media industry.

 
 

Every day, CFWIJ documents cases of threats and harassment to women journalists around the world. Women journalists endure unique kinds of risks and restrictions. We record these cases and support the journalists involved. In many instances, CFWIJ helps journalists find legal help and sometimes shelter as well. 2021 proves to be another challenging year for journalism. In January 2021, CFWIJ detailed 60 cases of physical attacks, legal harassment, detainments, arrests, and online attacks against women journalists in our monthly report. In February, the number of recorded cases increased to 97. Five women journalists were arrested while at least 11 were targeted with online troll campaigns. Legal harassment, attacks in the field and online troll campaigns were the most reported threats against women journalists in the month of February.

 
 

 In 2020, The Coalition For Women In Journalism documented 716 threats against women journalists worldwide in comparison to the 291 cases identified in 2019. There were three murders, 138 physical attacks and impediments in the field, 44 sexist attacks, 37 physical assaults, and 24 threats of violence/intimidation. Several journalists faced different forms of harassment: 79 online troll campaigns, 24 incidents of sexual harassment, 23 incidents of workplace harassment, and 18 incidents of verbal harassment. One hundred women journalists were subjected to detention by authorities, 97 cases of legal harassment, 52 arrests, 44 cases of state oppression, four accounts of torture while imprisoned, and two journalists expelled. 

CFWIJ covers the threats and trials of many notable women journalists, including the online smear campaign launched against Marvi Sarmad, libel charges against Maria Ressa and Rappler, and the court trials and progress in the case of Caruana Galizia. In our detailed timeline, CFWIJ also addresses the deportation case of Ans Boersma and the rape/death threats to Patricia Devlin. We documented the life and death of Baloch human rights activist Karima Baloch. We recorded the timelines of impediments that challenge several acclaimed women journalists. 

Forty-eight women journalists are facing imprisonment around the world for dedicatedly performing their journalistic duties. Turkey, Iran, China, and Saudia Arabia are the countries with the highest numbers of women journalists in prison. CFWIJ executes meaningful campaigns to draw attention to the realities of being a woman journalist in today’s media landscape. On Press Freedom Day 2020, CFWIJ highlighted the struggles women journalists face as a result of their profession. We also conducted the 16 days of activism against gender-based discrimination campaign, focusing on the pay gap, lack of financial resources, and harassment that affect women journalists. CFWIJ called for the revision of policies to better protect the safety and well-being of women journalists. We also joined the ‘‘Attacks Won't Silence Us’’ annd #ThreatsToWIJ movements to emphasize the struggles of female journalists. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism amplifies the efforts of women journalists covering farmers' protests in India. CFWIJ created a detailed list that presents the women journalists who covered the Capitol Hill insurrection and Trump’s second impeachment. Reporters covering the uprising were subjected to physical attacks and hateful verbal harassment. We support and stand in solidarity with these courageous women. CFWIJ is meticulously monitoring the volatile situation in Myanmar after the recent military coup. We remain in close contact with our sources to help women journalists in Myanmar however we can. CFWIJ is also following the unfolding events in Belarus that present dangerous threats to many journalists. At least 20 women journalists were imprisoned for their coverage of protests after the widely-disputed elections.

On this International Women’s Day, The Coalition For Women In Journalism encourages women’s rights organizations, feminist groups, and human rights bodies to continue striving for equal rights and opportunities, better health facilities, and the right to education for every girl. We ask countries across the globe to address the structural stereotypes that bar women's rights and freedom. We urge the governments to empower working women journalists by holding perpetrators accountable, conducting transparent inquiries, and taking meaningful action towards change.

 

Voices of Women Journalists

CFWIJ brings you some powerful messages on Women's Day from our network. Learn more about how these women journalists are overcoming obstacles in the industry and share their inspiration. Here’s a shoutout to all women journalists who inspire us every day.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Imprisoned Women Journalists in Turkey

The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) continues to amplify the voices of women journalists on International Women's Day. While we celebrate powerful female voices who shape the industry, we must not forget that several female reporters are imprisoned for solely doing their job. In collaboration with our partner, German art collective Wahrheitskämpfer we commemorated those courageous women who are relentlessly legally harassed in Turkey. Those powerful portraits prepared by Wahrheitskämpfer's artists aim to show our solidarity, and determination to always demand justice for women journalists who are threatened and persecuted. We shall cultivate their legacy. Turkey has the second-highest number of women journalists behind bars and seven women welcome this day in prison. For the most part, journalists are held on charges of linking terrorist groups or spreading terrorist propaganda. Turkey uses judicial proceedings as a weapon against journalists to intimidate and silence them.

Aslıhan Gençay

Aslıhan has been incarcerated for four years on terror charges. Aslıhan was set to be released early for good behaviour, though after refusing a strip search, she was denied release. As a consequence, she could face another year added to her sentence.

Ayşenur Parıldak

Ayşenur was sent to prison in August 2016. She was arrested on charges of being a member of a terrorist organization, sentenced to seven and a half years in prison.

Hanım Büşra Erdal

Büşra has been behind bars since July 2016. She was sentenced to six years and three months in prison for being a member of an armed terrorist organization.

 

Nazan Sala

Nazan was arrested the same day with Şehriban Abi in October 2020. She remains behind bars over the coverage of Kurdish villagers being tortured and thrown from a national army helicopter. One of the victims of the torture died from his injuries on September 30.

Şehriban Abi

Şehriban was arrested in October 2020, with Nazan Sala over their coverage of Kurdish villagers being tortured and thrown from a national army helicopter. One of the victims of the torture died from his injuries on September 30.

Hatice Duman

Hatice was arrested in July 2003. She was sentenced to life imprisonment for managing a terrorist organization. She appealed her case to the Court of Cassation in 2012, which was ultimately rejected.

 

Tülay Canbolat

Sabah Newspaper Ankara correspondent Tülay was arrested in scope of bylock investigation. She remains behind bars from January 2020.

 
 
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