UNITED STATES, New York, July 30, 2020 -- The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) is thrilled to be the recipient of a $150,000 grant from Craig Newmark Philanthropies (CNP). We are deeply grateful for the continued support and trust of Mr. Craig Newmark in the Coalition and its purpose. This donation will help us continue our work to aid and support women journalists around the world.  

Through the year of 2019 and up to August 2020, we have accomplished many goals that have contributed to better understanding how women journalists climb from the bottom to the top of industry, globally. This included our support for mid-career women journalists through our one- on-one mentorship program. CFWIJ Fellows selected for mentorship have benefited from our program in the form of professional growth, establishing new long-term relationships with news organizations, as well as personal mentorship that focuses on mental health and wellbeing. In early 2019, we were also able to launch a much-needed press freedom and advocacy program that prioritizes the safety of women journalists. Through this work we have raised issues that women journalists face in some of the most challenging countries around the world, much of which would be otherwise invisible.  

The Coalition For Women In Journalism documented more than 125 cases of threats and attacks on women journalists from January to April 2020, alone. 20% of the cases documented between March and April were linked to the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting attacks on press freedom and journalists. Between January 2019 and July 2020, The CFWIJ researched and reported over 975 cases where women journalists were targeted in many ways -- such as harassment, press freedom attacks, arrests, abductions, online troll campaigns and murders. These 975 cases were reported by the CFWIJ from 82 countries around the world.   

With the renewed grant from the Craig Newmark Philanthropies, we will be able to continue identifying the threats that women journalists are subjected to and find ways to support their work.  The generous donation by the CNP will be instrumental to our ability to continue the support we offer to women journalists around the world. We are deeply grateful to Mr. Craig Newmark and his work with Craig Newmark Philanthropies that has made our mission both possible and impactful, while continuing to help the Coalition grow.

About the Coalition For Women In Journalism 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization dedicated to the support of women journalists. The CFWIJ has pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists in several countries around the world. It is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of abuse, of any form, against women in any part of the world. Our system includes expert individuals and organizations to coalesce the experience and mentorship necessary to help female journalists navigate the industry. Our advocacy work stands for women from the top of the industry to the bottom. Our goal is to help develop a strong foundation, upon which women journalists can work safely and thrive.

About Craig Newmark Philanthropies

Craig Newmark Philanthropies was created by Craigslist founder, Craig Newmark, to support and connect people and drive broad civic engagement. The organization works to advance people and grassroots organizations that are excelling in areas that include trustworthy journalism, voter protection, gender diversity in technology, and veterans and military families. For more information, please visit ​CraigNewmarkPhilanthropies.org​.