International female journalists were honoured on Women’s Day, including The Shift journalist Alice Taylor and Corinne Vella, sister of assassinated journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Together with Hannah Ajala from West Africa, Pakistani journalist Afia Salam, Kathy Gannon, Sulome Anderson, Canan Kaya, Aylin Nazliaka, Léa Lejeune and others, they have been honoured by the Coalition for Women in Journalism for their contribution to society on International Women’s Day.
Taylor said that female journalists are more predisposed to gender-based harassment, gender-based verbal violence, and threats. “This is a sad reality of the world we live in. But for me, as someone who’s been on the receiving end of this kind of behaviour, and as I’ve seen it happen to countless friends and colleagues, I think the best thing to do is not to let it silence us”.
Taylor said Caruana Galizia remains an inspiration. “When she was murdered, I almost gave up because I saw how she was harassed and this culture of dehumanisation was created around her which ultimately led to a situation where she could be assassinated. I realised I have a duty to continue and carry on. A duty to speak louder and a duty to support other journalists around me.”
Next is #BrandiMorin (@Songstress28), an indigenous woman journalist from #Canada. Despite the terrifying situation that indigenous women face in the country, #Brandi continues to raise her voice for a better world. Listen to her talk about women journalists! #HerstoryWithCFWIJ pic.twitter.com/SK8ctM6EvO
— #WomenInJournalism (@CFWIJ) March 8, 2021
Taylor, who lived in Malta for several years, is currently based in Albania and writes for The Shift and Albanian news portal Exit News.
Corinne Vella, in a video posted on Twitter, mentioned the pressures faced by female journalists including misogyny. “They are harassed socially, economically and even physically. This was the experience of my sister Daphne Caruana Galizia. She endured years of harassment before she was killed.”
Today, hear what @Corinne_Vella, Daphne's sister in #Malta has to say about the strength and power women journalists possess and the kind of world they deserve. pic.twitter.com/QgR6UH9lQZ
— #WomenInJournalism (@CFWIJ) March 8, 2021
She said all journalists need support. “They should not be left to cope alone. If journalists give up, we all lose.”
Established in March 2017, the Coalition for Women in Journalism offers mentorship to female journalists from both Western and non-Western countries and monitors the challenges faced by women journalists worldwide.