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April update
Welcome to the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s April update. In this newsletter, you’ll find highlights from across our work, as well as the latest opportunities for you to get involved. If you don’t regularly receive our newsletter, you can subscribe here.
Our colleague Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe
has been freed
Our colleague Nazanin has finally been freed from her detention in Iran, ending a harrowing six-year ordeal, during which she was imprisoned on false charges, denied her freedoms and separated from her husband and young child.
Throughout this dark period, we are proud to have stood in solidarity with Nazanin and her family, and to have supported their long campaign for her release. Nazanin is now reunited with her family and remains part of the Foundation team.
Our 2021 Annual Report is out
Our annual report for 2021 is out now. The report is a valuable, consolidated source of information that showcases the Foundation’s performance, achievements, financial results and other organisational details for the year 2021 – a period, like its predecessor, with no shortage of disruption.
In a brief snapshot of the past year, we facilitated $19.7 million in free legal assistance, published 1,480 news stories, trained 1,042 journalists, won five journalism awards and welcomed 800 delegates from 75 countries to our annual Trust Conference.
Meet the 2022 TrustLaw Awards nominees
We are pleased to reveal the nominees for our annual TrustLaw Awards, which recognise remarkable pro bono projects, undertaken by our legal members with non-profits and social enterprises through TrustLaw, our global pro bono service.
This year’s nominated projects are only some of the excellent examples in which our TrustLaw members are driving a positive change in advancing media freedom, fostering more inclusive economies and promoting human rights. Join us in London on 8 June as we celebrate the pro bono sector and reveal this year’s winners.
TRF at the International Journalism Festival
We were at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy, this month, where we hosted two panel discussions as part of the programme for the first time.
The first panel, ‘Defending media freedom: using the law to protect journalists at risk’, explored the gaps in legal support available to journalists targeted for their truth-telling. It featured Brazilian journalist Patricia Campos Mello, leading human rights Barrister Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC and Senior Legal Officer at Media Defence, Carlos Gaio, in conversation with our CEO, Antonio Zappulla.
The second panel, ‘How can news outlets’ editorial independence be safeguarded in an era of declining revenues?’, examined how we can protect independent journalism, so fundamental to upholding freedom of expression, and prevent news outlets from remaining at the mercy of the highest bidder. We heard from Khadija Patel, Head of Programmes of the International Fund for Public Interest Media, Eduardo Suarez, Head of Editorial at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and Kanbar Hussein-Bor, Deputy Director Democratic Governance and Media Freedom Co-ordinator for the FCDO, in conversation with Will Church, our Director of Media Freedom Programmes.
Discover more in our focus areas:
Media Freedom:
Webinar Series on the Media’s Role in a Sustainable Recovery in Asia and the Pacific
To help journalists strengthen their coverage on a range of pressing development challenges – from climate change to rising inequalities – we partnered with the Asian Development Bank to host a four-part webinar series on the ‘Media’s Role in a Sustainable Recovery in Asia and the Pacific’. Watch the webinar recordings here.
Inclusive Economies:
19 candidates shortlisted for the Stop Slavery Award
We are pleased to announce the 19 candidates – including corporates, non-profits and individuals – shortlisted for the 2022 Stop Slavery Award in recognition of their dedication to ending the scourge of modern slavery and human trafficking. The winners of each category will be revealed at an in-person award ceremony in London on 28 April.
Did you know companies have a key role in stopping acid attacks?
Acid is in easy supply around the world, enabling attackers to commit an extreme form of gender-based violence. From distribution to sale, few companies have steps in place to prevent the misuse of acid. With Acid Survivors Trust International, we mapped out the obligations countries should put on companies to help end acid violence. Read more in our toolkit.
Human Rights:
Two of our journalists long-listed for the One World Media Awards
Our journalists Anastasia Moloney and Fabio Teixeira have been long-listed in two categories for this year’s One World Media Awards. Anastasia’s longread on indigenous communities’ efforts to halt deforestation in Colombia is nominated for the Environmental Impact Award, while Fabio’s story on the exploitation of Venezuelan workers under an aid programme in Brazil is shortlisted for the Popular Features Award.
Ukraine war shutters HIV clinics, disrupts drug supplies
Our journalist Benjamin Ryan covers how the Russian invasion of Ukraine has raised fears of a public health crisis, with health experts warning that the conflict could undo years of progress in combating HIV.
A women-only gem mine in Zimbabwe gives abuse survivors new hope
A story by our journalist Farai Shawn Matiashe reveals how Africa’s first all-female gemstone mine is helping women in Zimbabwe gain financial independence and leave abusive relationships.
This month we recommend:
Read: This sobering feature by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism on the brave and talented journalists who lost their lives in Ukraine while documenting the Russian invasion.
Listen: This podcast by The Guardian on the reporters risking everything to cover a forgotten conflict: Myanmar’s military coup.
Read: This feature by two Associated Press journalists on what life was like under siege in Mariupol and why it was important to document the city’s agony.
Watch: This explainer video by our editorial team on how investigators fact-check raw footage of the war in Ukraine.
Read: This story by our journalist Kim Harrisberg on how the indigenous Khoi and San people are fighting against Amazon's new headquarters in Africa.
Attend: This University of Birmingham’s 2022 Forum for Global Challenges – we are proud to be supporting this international event.
Opportunities:
Online Safety Manager, Media Freedom: This full-time role, based in London, will support on work on defending media freedom, and will sit within our media freedom team.
Video Production Manager, Editorial: The full-time role, based in London, will be tasked with overseeing our publishing schedule, tracking budgets, booking freelancers, and overseeing video productions across the Foundation.
We are the corporate foundation of Thomson Reuters, the global news and information services company. We work to advance media freedom, foster more inclusive economies, and promote human rights.
