DEFENDING THE DEFENDERS: TURNING THE MICROPHONE TO FEMALE JOURNALISTS REPORTING VAWG

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By Nankwanga Eunice Kasirye 

Female journalists covering violence against women and girls are not just exposing injustice—they are risking their own safety. The very violence they report on is the same violence that threatens them.


According to the United Nations, 85,000 women and girls were intentionally killed in 2023, with 51,100 murdered by an intimate partner or family member. This translates to 140 women and girls killed daily—one every ten minutes. Additionally, 736 million women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence at least once in their lives, with 30% of women aged 15 and older reporting such experiences.

Beyond physical violence, female journalists frequently face sexual harassment, cyber threats, and targeted attacks. A 2022 UNESCO report revealed that 73% of women journalists globally have experienced online violence, with 20% facing real-world attacks linked to their work. These threats not only compromise their safety but also have severe psychological effects, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Despite their crucial role in exposing gender-based violence, many female journalists work without adequate protection or mental health support. They often suppress their own trauma while reporting on the suffering of others, making them more vulnerable to burnout and emotional distress. A lack of institutional safeguards leaves them isolated, with limited access to legal and psychological resources.

To address this crisis, it is imperative to establish structured support systems, including mental health services, security training, and legal protections.

Nankwanga Eunice Kasirye is turning the microphone back to female journalists, amplifying their own plight through a series of interviews where they share their fears, personal experiences, and the emotional toll of reporting on violence against women and girls. These journalists, who have become both reporters and survivors of the very issues they cover, need their stories heard. By giving them a platform, we shed light on the challenges they face and the urgent need for protection and support.

Through this initiative, we will mobilize solidarity and collaborations to create safe spaces for female journalists—offering them mental, psychological, physical, social, professional, and economic security. As they continue to expose gender-based violence, they too must be safeguarded. The fight for justice is not only about telling the stories of survivors but also ensuring that those who report on them do not become statistics themselves.

By standing with female journalists, we strengthen the collective fight against violence towards women and girls, working towards a world where everyone is safe, both in their homes and in their profession

#THEDEFENDINGSURVIVORS

#DEFENDINGTHEDEFENDERS

The writer is the Chapter Head IAWRT Uganda




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