IJNet and Facebook Journalism Project Launch a Toolkit for Reporting on Refugee Communities

By: 06/20/2021

On the occasion of World Refugee Day, the Facebook Journalism Project and ICFJ’s International Journalists’ Network (IJNet) are pleased to launch a media toolkit for reporting on refugee communities in both Arabic and English. This comprehensive toolkit will act as a resource for journalists covering refugee stories by identifying ways to avoid stereotypical narratives.

The media toolkit offers six resources to help journalists generate professional coverage of humanitarian crises, providing advice for editorial decision making, tools for conducting risk assessments, ethical guidance, and information on mental health.

Reporting on refugee communities Toolkit [English]

Reporting on refugee communities Toolkit [Arabic]

The toolkit is part of a larger initiative from ICFJ and the Facebook Journalism Project. Leading media and humanitarian experts trained 120 journalists from the Middle East and North Africa on how to better cover refugees -- a highly vulnerable group -- and how to do so amid the constraints the pandemic presents. After the month-long virtual training, 34 participants received reporting grants and mentorship from award-winning journalism experts to produce in-depth stories from the region on refugees and other displaced people.

Before pursuing their stories, the journalists received training on how to protect themselves and their sources during the pandemic. Trainers also coached participants on how to engage refugees in their storytelling, produce more compelling multimedia content, and verify information even with limited on-the-ground access. In addition, the training included information on freedom of movement in the time of COVID-19 and how the pandemic has impeded access to healthcare and other resources for refugees. Learn more.

Latest News

ICFJ se Suma a Otras 9 Organizaciones Internacionales Para Presentar un Amicus Curiae en el Caso del Periodista Guatemalteco Encarcelado José Rubén Zamora

Un grupo de 10 organizaciones internacionales presentó esta semana un amicus curiae ante la Corte Suprema de Justicia de Guatemala en el caso del periodista José Rubén Zamora Marroquín. El amicus, presentado el 26 de marzo, argumenta que el retorno de Zamora a prisión preventiva constituye una violación de sus derechos fundamentales bajo el derecho guatemalteco e internacional, e insta a la Corte a otorgar un recurso de amparo pendiente y permitir que el Sr. Zamora lleve su proceso bajo medidas sustitutivas.

ICFJ Joins 9 Other International Organizations in Submitting Amicus Brief in Case of Imprisoned Guatemalan Journalist José Rubén Zamora

A group of 10 international organizations submitted an amicus curiae brief to Guatemala’s Supreme Court in the case of journalist José Rubén Zamora Marroquín. The brief, filed on March 26, argues that Zamora’s return to preventive detention constitutes a violation of his fundamental rights under Guatemalan and international law, and urges the Court to grant a pending amparo appeal and allow Zamora to return to house arrest.

Press Freedom on Campus: Why it Matters and What Student Journalists Need Most

In February, ICFJ partnered with Vanderbilt University and Freedom Forum, with support from the Lumina Foundation, to bring university faculty and students, international and U.S. journalists, and media leaders together for a discussion about the importance of press freedom in democratic societies. Participants stressed how U.S.-based journalists can learn from the experiences of their colleagues abroad, and they dived into the challenges campus reporters face, such as a lack of funding and harassment from fellow students, offered advice for engaging audiences, and more.