I'm always threatened; life of a woman journalist

Across the world, women journalists encounter multiple challenges that erode their productivity, scare them off investigative beats, and affect their mental health.

In worst case scenarios, they are killed or arrested for doing their work.

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) in 2021, the number of journalists killed nearly doubled. The killings rose to 11 per cent from six per cent.

Further by September 30, 2022, the agency says, 11 per cent of the killed journalists were women.

This year, 73 women journalists and media workers spent  International Women’s Day in prison, with the confinements concentrated in 14 countries. China led with 21 imprisoned women, followed by Iran (12), and Belarus (10).

Intoxicating environment

Last year, Article 19 (an international human rights organisation that works to defend and promote freedom of expression and freedom of information worldwide) released a report on the security of women journalists and human rights defenders in Kenya. It listed sexual harassment, insults, physical assault and death threats as dangers intoxicating their work environment.

To further highlight the lived experiences of women journalists in other countries, Nation.Africa spoke to two from Kosovo and Ghana. Here are their stories.

Serbeze Haxhiaj 

Ms Haxhiaj is a Kosovan investigative broadcast and print journalist who has practised journalism for more than 24 years.

She covers corruption, human rights, security issues, religious extremism, terrorism, and war crimes.

“My work is extremely risky,” she said when I met her in Geneva, Switzerland on March 31, 2023.

She was among 17 human rights journalists selected by Universal Rights Group to attend a media engagement programme funded by Permanent Mission of Denmark to the United Nations in Geneva.

“I’m always threatened. It’s very scary because you’re always looking over your shoulders, ‘Is someone following me?’”

“Whenever I report on crimes against ethnic minorities, I’m branded a traitor and face attacks from politicians and top government officials,” she said. 

She added: “Kosovo has a long history of politicians and top government officials attacking journalists, and this has created an atmosphere of fear among journalists, especially the budding women journalists,” she added.

In addition, she has suffered sexual harassment from powerful government officials and colleagues.

Sadly, there is nothing she can do, as she says, “there is a culture of impunity in Kosovo. There is nowhere you can report for action to be taken against the perpetrators.”

She said she has weathered the storms to thrive in her practice.

"I push on despite the risks," said Ms Haxhiaj who has won multiple awards for her exceptional work including Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence and European Union Awards for Investigative Journalism

She is, however, hopeful for a safe working environment for all journalists in the country as Kosovo Journalists Association continues to engage the government to safeguard the safety of journalists and ensure they enjoy media freedom.

Nuong Faalong 

Ms Faalong is a broadcast journalist in Ghana. She said it’s “hard for women journalists to speak truth to power in Ghana.” 

She said one would be trolled if she wrote about crimes or injustices committed by a powerful person.

“People attack you on social media. Others call you and ask: “How dare you? Don’t you know you’re a woman? How can you do that?” she said.

“They will call you ugly call or you're a prostitute. They don’t do that to men journalists. The insults are meant to silence you. There is a notion that a woman should be soft and timid. It’s terrible.”

She said some of her women colleagues have been trolled, abused and intimidated offline.

“They are really traumatised and some have kept off social media to protect their mental health,” she said.

She, however, said Ghana Journalists Association has been relentless in reaching out to the affected journalists and speaking against the violation of journalists’ rights.

“It’s tough but we have to learn to deal with the risks that come with our work. This is our profession, this is our work,” she said

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