By Saidu Jalloh, Daily Scope Reporter
Women journalists across the globe are facing escalating violence and intimidation simply for doing their jobs, the International Federation of Journalists has warned, calling it a direct assault on press freedom.
In a statement from its Gender Council, the IFJ said female reporters are increasingly targeted with physical attacks, workplace harassment, and coordinated online abuse because of both their profession and their gender.
“For many women in media, it is no longer safe to report,” the Council stated, describing the trend as a critical threat to democratic discourse.
The warning comes as the IFJ rolls out its new 2026–2029 strategy, which places the protection of women journalists at the center. The plan demands zero tolerance for sexual harassment and discrimination in newsrooms, unions, and online spaces.
The newly elected Council leadership — Chair María Ángeles Samperio of Spain and Asia-Pacific Coordinator Javeria Siddique of Pakistan — cited cases from three continents to show the scale of the problem.
In July, women journalists covering protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi were physically assaulted and harassed. The IFJ said India had reached a “critical point” for such attacks during 2025–2026.
In Cambodia, a case of years-long physical and verbal harassment at an English-language newspaper remains unresolved despite repeated complaints.
The Federation also flagged a dangerous shift into the digital space. Online abuse has evolved from isolated trolling into organized campaigns designed to intimidate and force self-censorship. The rise of artificial intelligence has made it worse.
In Panama, journalist Sol Lauría Paz was hit with threats, doxxing, and AI-generated manipulated images after investigating the Cobre Panamá mine controversy.
To address the crisis, the IFJ is calling for stronger enforcement of national and international laws, safer workplace protocols, and more women in media leadership. It also urged governments to regulate AI to prevent it from being weaponized against reporters.
The IFJ stressed this is not only a gender equality issue.
“When harassment pushes journalists out of public debate, the public loses access to independent information,” the Federation said. “That is a press freedom emergency.”
The organisation is urging governments, media owners, and journalists’ unions to establish clear reporting, protection, and accountability mechanisms.
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