[[link removed]] FRIDAY MAY 14TH, 2021

We are the corporate foundation of Thomson Reuters, the global news and information services company. We work to advance media freedom [[link removed]], foster more inclusive economies [[link removed]], and promote human rights [[link removed]]. Through news, media development, free legal assistance and convening initiatives, we combine our unique media and legal services to drive systemic change.

Welcome to the Thomson Reuters Foundation's [[link removed]] new and improved newsletter! Each month, we’ll be sharing highlights from across all our work and letting you know how you can get involved.

This month, we mark World Press Freedom Day with an op-ed by our CEO exploring what threats to journalism mean for democracy, journalism heavyweights including Christiane Amanpour and Jeremy Bowen tell us why they support the Kurt Schork Memorial Fund Awards in International Journalism [[link removed]], and we release the agenda of our upcoming Trust Conference, a free virtual event spanning two days in November. We also share other highlights from our work across our three focus areas

If you don’t regularly receive our newsletter, you can subscribe here [[link removed]].

Marking World Press Freedom Day

To mark World Press Freedom Day, we released an op-ed titled ‘When journalism is threatened, democracy is at stake’. In the piece, our CEO Antonio Zappulla highlights how COVID-19 has accelerated the many ways in which press freedom is under attack around the world. Looking ahead to what needs to be done to secure the future of independent journalism, Antonio highlights that the most seismic shifts might come from successfully generating revenue from the tech giants, and from innovation and transformation of news outlets themselves. Meanwhile, in countries where independent journalism is most under threat, support from organisations committed to preserving and protecting media freedom is critical.

As part of our #WPFD campaign, we also spotlighted our media and legal initiatives from the past year, and what we are doing to help independent media outlets tackle the challenges they face. Check out the thread here [[link removed]].

READ THE OP-ED

[[link removed]] Save the Date: Trust Conference 2021

[[link removed]] Trust Conference, our flagship annual event, is back as a free virtual event this year. Held across two days - 17 & 18 November, 2021 - and several time zones, the event will feature live panel discussions, insight sessions, fireside chats and plenty of networking opportunities.

Day one will explore practical solutions to achieving ‘net-zero’ and creating ‘greener’ jobs that leave no one behind. It will also assess the economic impact of exclusion, and explore whether framing climate change as a human rights issue could help deliver faster action. Day two will examine how sustained attacks on media freedom, combined with a rise in misinformation and the adoption of new, unregulated surveillance technologies, threaten to undermine democracies around the world. It will look at the global challenges faced by journalists, and explore the implications of the surge in the use of surveillance technology on people’s privacy and rights. Registration will open closer to the date of the event in November, so stay tuned for updates.

DAY ONE AGENDA

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DAY TWO AGENDA

[[link removed]] The Kurt Schork Awards in International Journalism: applications close in one month

[[link removed]] There’s less than one month to go until applications close for the 2021 Kurt Schork Awards in International Journalism. The awards, managed by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, recognise excellence in courageous reporting of conflict, corruption, human rights transgressions and other related issues. The only international recognition of their type for print journalists, the awards are split into three categories: Freelance Journalist, Local Reporter and News Fixer. The entry deadline is midnight (GMT) on Monday, May 31. The three winners will each receive a prize of US $5,000.

Hear [[link removed]] from friends of the Kurt Schork Memorial Fund - including CNN’s Christiane Amanpour and the BBC’s Jeremy Bowen, both of whom reported on the Bosnian War alongside Kurt - on how the awards honour his legacy and promote the ideals by which he had lived and worked.

FIND OUT MORE AND APPLY

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Discover more in our focus areas:

Media Freedom [[link removed]] | Inclusive Economies [[link removed]] | Human Rights [[link removed]]

Media Freedom:

Whistleblowing Law in 2021: Legal Risks and Protections in Europe [[link removed]]. Whistleblowers and journalists exposing wrong-doings may face fines and jail time in Spain and Germany, despite EU Law. TrustLaw, our global pro bono service, connected European Environmental Bureau with DLA Piper and dentsu Spain to produce a report on existing legal protections in six EU countries.

How COVID-19 has accelerated encroachments on media freedom [[link removed]]. On World Press Freedom Day, an extract from our report on The Impact of COVID-19 on Journalism in Emerging Economies and the Global South was published. The piece - featuring insights of industry leaders and the first-hand experiences of our journalism training alumni - explores the ways in which governments around the world have leveraged the pandemic to undermine public trust in journalism and science.

Inclusive Economies:

ESG: why social investing is the next big thing [[link removed]]. ESG factors, which measure a company’s commitment to environmental, social and governance issues, have become critical to understanding a company’s performance. So far, because of the risks posed by climate change, most metrics have focused on the ‘E’, but today, the COVID-19 pandemic has put a greater emphasis on the ‘S’. Watch our latest explainer to learn why social investing is the next big thing.

Inside Amazon's shadow workforce in Mexico [[link removed]]. While Amazon is facing battles over labour rights in several nations from the United States to Germany, there has been little scrutiny of its treatment of workers in Mexico. In a 6-month investigation into the company's labour practices in the country, our news team spoke to 15 former Amazon contract workers in Mexico. We found reports of mandatory overtime, forced resignations and workers being laid off after falling ill with COVID-19. Read the full investigation for more.

Human Rights:

Defying Chinese surveillance, young Uyghurs abroad speak up online [[link removed]]. Despite living overseas, young Uyghurs say expanding their digital footprint through their activism has made them - and their families - more of a target. Our new team explores the impossible choices the more than 1 million strong diaspora face: "It's a dilemma for me. Either I speak out and try to change the world, even a little bit, or I don't. And the consequences of both is that our people will be locked up."

Over 50 women accuse Ebola aid workers of sex abuse in Congo [[link removed]]. Journalists Nellie Peyton and Robert Flummerfelt won Amnesty International's Gaby Rado Award for their investigation into sex abuse by aid workers in Congo – a joint effort between the Thomson Reuters Foundation news team and The New Humanitarian. Following the investigation, the WHO and other leading NGOs launched inquiries to investigate the claims of sexual exploitation. The UK has since banned sexual relations between government staff giving aid and people receiving it. Find out more on the impact of the investigation here [[link removed]].

THIS MONTH WE RECOMMEND

Business Fights Poverty India and COVID-19 Call to Action [[link removed]]

Reporters Without Borders | #HoldTheLine for Maria Ressa [[link removed]] campaign

UNESCO Report | The Chilling: Global trends in online violence against women journalists [[link removed]]

Thomson Reuters Foundation News | Q&A: Solutions Project CEO talks climate and racial justice [[link removed]]

Thomson Reuters Foundation News | 'COVID is a wake-up call': Black entrepreneurs aim to level playing field [[link removed]]

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