About this program
Safety in Numbers is a collaborative programme driven by four feminist-led organisations: ACOS Alliance, IFEX, International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) and Media Defence. The initiative aims to improve the safety and protection of journalists and media workers worldwide, addressing physical, legal, psychosocial and digital threats. Leveraging the expertise and networks of these organisations, the programme seeks to develop a comprehensive safety net through a rights-based feminist approach, ensuring the inclusion of women and vulnerable groups. With connections to over 375 partners in more than 115 countries, the programme integrates diverse perspectives and resources to build a robust, sustainable ecosystem for the protection of journalists.
About this opportunity
The IWMF will provide identity-informed newsroom training to newsrooms in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. These trainings provide a customized approach to topics faced by each newsroom in the areas of holistic safety policy creation and tailored training sessions.
We offer:
- An initial call with a safety expert and an assessment to understand what safety trainings and/or policies you need and can realistically implement.
- Customized and identity-informed training to newsrooms for staff and freelance journalists.
- Policy templates that you can easily adapt for your newsroom.
- Real-life example of policies and guides written by newsrooms we have worked with.
Who is this support for?
If you are a newsroom who is looking for safety support then please complete this brief intake form.
Acerca de este programa
Safety in Numbers es un programa colaborativo impulsado por cuatro organizaciones feministas: ACOS Alliance, IFEX, la Fundación Internacional de las Mujeres en los Medios (o la IWMF, por sus siglas en inglés) y Media Defence. La iniciativa tiene como objetivo mejorar la seguridad y la protección de periodistas y trabajadores de los medios de comunicación en todo el mundo, abordando las amenazas físicas, legales, psicosociales y digitales. Aprovechando la experiencia y las redes de estas organizaciones, el programa busca desarrollar una red de seguridad integral a través de un enfoque feminista basado en los derechos, asegurando la inclusión de las mujeres y los grupos vulnerables. Con conexiones con más de 375 socios en más de 115 países, el programa integra diversas perspectivas y recursos para construir un ecosistema sólido y sostenible para la protección de los periodistas.
Acerca de esta oportunidad
La IWMF ofrecerá capacitación en seguridad con enfoque en identidad a las salas de redacción de África subsahariana, América Latina y el Caribe. Estas capacitaciones brindan un enfoque personalizado a los temas que enfrenta cada sala de redacción en las áreas de creación de políticas de seguridad integrales y sesiones de capacitación personalizadas.
Ofrecemos:
- Una llamada inicial con un experto en seguridad y una evaluación para comprender qué capacitaciones y/o políticas de seguridad necesita y puede implementar de manera realista.
- Capacitación personalizada y basada en la identidad para redacciones para sus periodistas y periodistas independientes.
- Plantillas de políticas que puede adaptar fácilmente a su sala de redacción.
- Ejemplos de la vida real de políticas y guías escritas por redacciones con las que hemos trabajado.
¿Para quién es este apoyo?
Si usted es parte de una sala de redacción y busca apoyo de seguridad, complete este breve formulario de admisión.
About this project
Over the past two years, the IWMF has supported more than 40 newsrooms with policy development and training around issues related to online abuse. In 2022, we launched our guide to supporting newsrooms with this issue and a year later we set up our News Safety Cohort, a unique training model that incorporates policy development, training and peer-to-peer learning.
As the U.S. heads into an election year, support for online abuse is more critical than ever. Journalists are likely to see an uptick in online attacks and newsrooms need to be well prepared but may not have the time to do so. To respond to this, the IWMF is adapting its cohort model to ensure as many newsrooms are as protected as possible over a shorter period of time.
What does our support look like?
If you want to better protect your newsroom from online violence but are short on time and unsure where to start then our cohort program may be a good fit for you.
We offer:
- A short needs-based assessment to understand what policies you need and which policies you can realistically implement.
- An initial hour-long call with an online abuse expert who will start working on policy development with you in the meeting.
- Policy templates that you can easily adapt for your newsroom.
- Real-life example of policies and guides written by newsrooms we have worked with.
- Minimal meetings with written feedback on policies provided instead.
- Training for staff and freelancers if requested.
Who is this support for?
If you are a newsroom who is looking for support with issues on online violence then please complete this brief intake form.
The International Women’s Media Foundation is launching a national journalism safety initiative to provide wrap around care for small newsrooms and journalists that lack the resources and knowledge to implement best practices and safety policies for 2024 and beyond. The IWMF will offer one and two day highly interactive in person safety workshops to local and regional news outlets in battleground states and rural areas where newsrooms are grappling with ongoing safety challenges. Topics include risk assessment and mitigation, personal security, active shooter, protests, legal/know your rights, and psychosocial/mental health awareness. After the training is completed, the IWMF will offer ongoing support to the participating newsrooms and journalism networks with safety consultations, assistance developing and implementing safety policies, and emergency assistance grants when needed. This approach will target the needs of journalists and newsroom leaders before, during, and after the elections with a mix of prevention and mitigation measures alongside emergency response and assistance if the newsroom faces any threats.
The Newsroom Safety Across America Initiative will begin in February 2023. During the initial phase of this project, the IWMF will prioritize Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Arizona, Florida, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Georgia. Exact dates and locations are being finalized. The training is free to participants, but the IWMF is unable to provide financial support for transportation and/or lodging.
If you are a newsroom, journalism association, or freelance journalist, please fill out this form to indicate your interest in this training.
About the IWMF's Safety Work
As the leading provider of identity-informed, holistic safety training and resources for journalists and newsrooms – with a focus on women and non-binary reporters – in the U.S. and globally, the IWMF has trained thousands of journalists to enhance their safety online and offline. From 2020-2022, the IWMF has trained more than 7,230 journalists via our customized safety trainings and self-paced courses, and has provided HEFAT trainings to 810 journalists worldwide from 2014-2023. We lead Hostile Environment and First Aid Training (HEFAT) courses specifically tailored to the localized threats faced by the journalists we serve.
The Howard G. Buffett Foundation has given the IWMF a $750,000 grant to establish a three-year fund supporting U.S.-based reporting projects by Indigenous journalists on issues related to Missing & Murdered Indigenous People (MMMIP) with a concentration on women, girls, Two-Spirit and transgender people.
Starting in March 2022, applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis by an advisory committee comprised of distinguished Indigenous practicing journalists and editors, along with Indigenous thought leaders. The IWMF is conducting ongoing, targeted outreach to eligible journalists and Indigenous journalism groups to solicit proposals. Indigenous journalists affiliated with media outlets, as well as freelancers, are invited to apply.
In addition to monetary support, the IWMF is committed to providing editorial and pitching support to grantees.
Please read our FAQ page and Application Guide for the program. Eligible journalists can apply here.
If you are experiencing any accessibility issues with the application process, please contact info@iwmf.org.
The IWMF and its Coalition Against Online Violence partners are offering journalists the opportunity to sign up for free one-on-one safety consultations.
Concerned about a recent threat, online abuse, government surveillance or an upcoming reporting trip? Our experts provide journalists with clear and practical guidance, whether that's dealing with a digital or physical safety emergency or helping you build digital security into your story planning. We are here to help. You must have journalism as a primary profession to be eligible for a consultation.
Please note: this is not an emergency help line. We are unable to provide rapid response support.
To apply for a consultation, please complete this application. If you have any questions, please email digitalsafety@iwmf.org.
If you are experiencing any accessibility issues with the application process, please contact info@iwmf.org.
Founded by Sonia Weiser via GoFundMe on May 31, 2020, the Black Journalists Therapy Relief Fund is designed to provide financial assistance for Black journalists facing financial hardship who are unable to pay for the mental health support they need. In June 2020, the BJTRF teamed up with the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) to expand the Fund’s reach and continue supporting Black journalists.
While publications ask Black journalists — both freelance and full-time staff members — to put their lives at risk to report on racial injustices and embed themselves within the protests, they rarely provide resources for these same journalists to process the trauma incurred both on the job and in daily life. BJTRF will consider supporting Black journalists globally who:
- have journalism as a primary profession;
- were laid off/furloughed or quit due to harmful workplace practices;
- OR are former journalists suffering from lasting emotional or physical trauma from your time in the field.
As of June 2024, we can only support Black women, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming journalists through this program. Please note that funds are limited and we are actively fundraising to support this program long-term. We apologize for any delays in response or fund distribution.
If you are experiencing any accessibility issues with the application process, please contact info@iwmf.org.
We established the IWMF Emergency Fund in 2013 for journalists in crisis to provide women journalists with a lifeline of support in times of distress or threat. Now more than ever, journalists around the world face real dangers as a result of their reporting. The Emergency Fund is sustained with the support of individual donors to address the growing need to provide direct assistance to women journalists who are suffering.
The IWMF Emergency Fund provides women journalists with:
- Small grants for psychological and medical care for incidents directly related to threats and crises caused by one’s work as a journalist;
- Three months of temporary relocation assistance in the event of crisis or threat;
- Legal aid to counter threats of imprisonment or censorship;
- Non-financial assistance in the form of information about additional access to resources.
To be eligible for the IWMF Emergency Fund, candidates must meet the following criteria:
- Be a staff or freelance reporter, working in any medium, whose primary profession is journalism;
- Have worked full-time as a journalist within six months of applying for assistance;
- Apply for assistance with a crisis situation directly connected to work as a journalist.
- The IWMF believes that gender does not conform to one notion. We are inclusive of all journalists who identify as women and non-binary people.
To request assistance from the IWMF Emergency Fund, you must complete this preliminary questionnaire. An IWMF staff member will respond to your request in a timely manner at which point you may be required to provide additional information. Please understand that it will take time to process your request and that we prioritize the most urgent requests. Requests that do not meet the criteria above will not be considered.
If you are a journalist from Afghanistan or Myanmar contacting us regarding relocation or basic support: Please note – due to the current limitations of the IWMF’s resources, at this time we do not have the capacity to support the enormous number of journalists who are deserving and in need, and we regret that we will be unable to process your request.
If you are experiencing any accessibility issues with the application process, please contact info@iwmf.org.
En el 2013 establecimos el Fondo de Emergencia de la IWMF para periodistas en crisis para proporcionar un apoyo vital en tiempos de apuros o amenaza para mujeres periodistas. Ahora más que nunca, los periodistas de todo el mundo enfrentan peligros reales por sus reportajes.
El Fondo de Emergencia se sostiene con el apoyo de donantes individuales para proporcionar asistencia directa a las periodistas en apuros.
El Fondo de Emergencia de la IWMF brinda a las mujeres periodistas:
- Pequeñas subvenciones para atención psicológica y médica relacionadas a incidentes y amenazas en el trabajo como periodista;
- Tres meses de asistencia para reubicación temporal en casos de crisis o amenazas;
- Ayuda legal para contrarrestar amenazas de encarcelamiento o censura;
- Asistencia no financiera en forma de información sobre el acceso a recursos adicionales.
Para solicitar al Fondo de emergencia de la IWMF, los candidatos deben cumplir con los siguientes requerimientos:
- Ser una periodista empleada por un medio o ser una periodista independiente que trabaje en cualquier medio, cuya profesión principal es el periodismo;
- Trabajar como periodista en tiempo completo durante los últimos seis meses;
- Solicitar asistencia directamente relacionada a incidentes y amenazas en el trabajo como periodista;
Para solicitar asistencia del Fondo de emergencia de la IWMF, la postulante debe completar este cuestionario preliminar. Un miembro de la IWMF responderá a su solicitud de manera oportuna para solicitar información adicional. Es importante comprender que comprender qué tomará tiempo para procesar su solicitud y que priorizaremos solicitudes más urgentes. Las solicitudes que no cumplan con los criterios anteriores no serán consideradas.
Si tiene algún problema de accesibilidad en el proceso de solicitud, póngase en contacto con info@iwmf.org.