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The Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) has launched its 2025 Media Fellowship, focusing on the intersection of digitalisation, feminist digital rights, and justice.
This marks the sixth year of the fellowship, which has, since its inception in 2018, empowered women journalists, media professionals, and storytellers across the region.
The fellowship aims to spotlight the often-overlooked impact of digitalisation on women and communities, shedding light on issues such as surveillance, online gender-based violence, platform economies, and the growing threats of digital authoritarianism.
Over the years, the APWLD Media Fellowship has evolved into a critical platform for elevating the voices of grassroots women. The programme has supported over 74 multimedia reports, spearheading conversations on gender justice, human rights, and structural inequalities. For the 2025 cycle, the fellowship invites journalists to tackle digitalisation’s role in perpetuating economic, environmental, and social disparities, particularly in the context of women’s lives in the Asia-Pacific region.
Misun Woo, APWLD’s regional coordinator, elaborated on the importance of feminist storytelling in this digital era. “Feminist storytelling shapes and shifts narratives, challenges power structures, and spurs collective action,” she said. “Through this fellowship, we aim to equip women journalists with the tools to expose the structural barriers women face in the digital age.”
The focus on digital rights is timely as the global conversation surrounding the impact of technology on gender justice has never been more urgent. From the proliferation of misinformation to the risk of surveillance and the deepening divide in access to technology, these issues disproportionately affect women, especially in marginalised communities. APWLD hopes to guide journalists in telling empowering stories that critique these inequalities while promoting collective action for justice.
This year, the fellowship offers funding support for both individual and team projects, with a focus on investigative and in-depth stories across various formats, such as written pieces, documentaries, photo essays, and audio content. Successful applicants will also attend an in-person training in May 2025, aimed at refining their skills in feminist analysis and reporting techniques. In addition to story development and capacity building, fellows will have opportunities to engage in advocacy events, enhancing their visibility in both civil society and UN platforms.
The fellowship’s themes are particularly pertinent given the increasing centrality of digital technologies in everyday life. Issues such as data privacy, the militarisation of digital spaces, and the rise of digital authoritarianism will be key areas of exploration. However, the fellowship also invites a broader examination of how digitalisation influences women’s work and livelihoods, with a focus on the disproportionate environmental, social, and economic costs that women bear.
APWLD’s fellowship is open to women media professionals from Asia and the Pacific with a minimum of three years of experience. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to feminist movement-building and show an understanding of how women’s human rights intersect with broader development issues. The application process requires candidates to submit a detailed work plan, budget, CV, and samples of previous work, alongside a letter of endorsement.
The fellowship is expected to select its fellows in February 2025, with the announcement made in March, followed by the media training in May. APWLD’s partnership with these journalists serves as a reminder of the importance of inclusive narratives, especially as digitalisation continues to shape every aspect of modern life. Through the fellowship, the organisation is not only providing financial support and training but is fostering a new generation of feminist storytellers ready to confront and challenge the digital injustices of today’s world.
The importance of such initiatives cannot be overstated. As digital technology becomes increasingly integral to daily life, the need to amplify the voices of women journalists who can challenge the status quo and expose the inequities inherent in digital systems is more crucial than ever. The APWLD Media Fellowship is not just an opportunity for individual growth but a vital platform for advancing feminist discourse in a rapidly digitalising world. By empowering women to tell these stories, the fellowship helps shape the future of media, ensuring that women’s voices are heard in every corner of the digital landscape.
News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, News Ghana, https://newsghana.com.gh/apwld-launches-media-fellowship-focused-on-digital-rights-for-women/
