First Quarterly Report 2022
Impunity and silence embolden aggressive states
The press and media industry have historically existed as an accountability mechanism for the state and its extensions of power. Thus, it only stands to reason that it is among the first casualties of state violence. This year our first quarterly report focuses on the ways in which journalists are targeted for exposing the truth. Impunity and lack of accountability further escalate censorship.
We do this by focusing on three main regions of concern: Russia, Israel and India. The three countries have, in recent times, used militarization to expand their ambit of power while clamping down on press freedoms in order to detract from global attention towards their overreaches. This has resulted in them managing to create a perpetual state of fear and violence in the Ukrainian territory, Palestinian territory, Kashmir and among marginalized religious groups respectively.
In the first section of the following report we look at the several ways in which violence against women journalists have been realized in these regions. We examine the weaponization of state institutions, the use of brute strength under the guise of lawful force and utilization of majoritarian sentiments to intimidate. We also provide our readers a guide to how we categorize violence at The Coalition For Women In Journalism and shed light on the journalists who have suffered repercussions for continuing to stand up to unchecked state power.
In our second section review the first four months of 2022 and recall major cases of violations against women journalists between January 1 and April 30, review our work this past quarter and shine the spotlight on some incredible women journalists.
If you would like to request more insight into our findings, or would like to suggest an addition to our work reach out to us at data@womeninjournalism.org. For media inquiries reach out to us at press@womeninjournalism.org.