The Coalition For Women In Journalism

What The Coalition For Women In Journalism does

The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) is a New York-based non-profit organization founded in March 2017 that provides advocacy, safety, and direct support services to women and LGBTQI journalists globally. The organization operates a Press Freedom Newsroom delivering daily coverage of violations across 145 countries and runs the Women Press Freedom initiative for systematic documentation of attacks, imprisonments, and harassment. Core offerings include an Emergency Assistance Program (evacuations, relocations, legal aid, mental health therapy), the Journalists Behind Bars database, the Annual Press Freedom Review, the WIJ Institute (training manuals on PTSD and online safety), the Hire Women Journo directory, mentorship programs, and the annual Kathy Gannon Legacy Awards.

CFWIJ's technology stack is minimal: a Squarespace-hosted website, email newsletter, and active social media accounts on Twitter/X, Instagram, and Facebook serve as the primary distribution channels. There is no proprietary software platform, mobile app, or AI/ML component disclosed. The organization monetizes entirely through donations and grants, having launched as a pro-bono operation in 2017 before transitioning to formal NGO status in 2019 with seed funding from Craig Newmark Philanthropies. Since 2019, CFWIJ has supported more than 4,081 women journalists across 145 countries and evacuated over 1,500 individuals from conflict zones including Afghanistan, Ukraine, Iran, and Mexico.

The go-to-market motion is community-led: CFWIJ reaches journalists through its website, newsletter, social media, global chapter network, and partnerships with established press freedom organizations (International Press Institute, Reporters Without Borders, Committee to Protect Journalists, PEN International) and academic institutions (University of Ottawa, NYU, University of Delhi, CUNY). Its customer segments are women journalists, LGBTQI journalists, and emerging/freelance journalists requiring safety, advocacy, and professional support.

Name

The Coalition For Women In Journalism

Legal name

Coalition For Women In Journalism

Website

https://womeninjournalism.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CFWIJ is a New York-based non-profit founded in 2017 that advocates for and supports women and LGBTQI journalists globally through press freedom monitoring, emergency evacuations, legal aid, mentorship, and mental health resources across 145 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Press Freedom Advocacy and Journalist Support Services

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (541820)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Media Relations & Press Office Services (BPAFADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)

Keywords

• Press freedom advocacy
• Journalist safety support
• Women media mentorship
• Emergency journalist assistance
• Press violations monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: CFWIJ operates as a non-profit organization funded through donations and likely grants. The organization was launched as a pro-bono org in March 2017 and began operating as an NGO in 2019 with seed funding from Craig Newmark Philanthropies. Revenue is generated through voluntary donations from supporters.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CFWIJ runs a global peer-support, advocacy, and direct-assistance operation for women and LGBTQI journalists. Its core deliverable is the Women Press Freedom monitoring/incident-documentation platform (with a daily Press Freedom Newsroom covering 145 countries), supported by an Emergency Assistance Program that delivers evacuations, relocations, legal coordination, and survival funds, plus a mentorship program, mental health resources, the WIJ Institute's training materials, the Journalists Behind Bars database, and the Annual Press Freedom Review.

Product overview

The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) operates as a global peer-support and press freedom advocacy organization rather than a traditional technology product company. Its offerings comprise advocacy programs and support services organized around press freedom monitoring. The core service is Women Press Freedom (WPF), which provides daily coverage and documentation of violations against women and LGBTQI journalists across 145 countries. Supporting programs include the WIJ Institute (educational manuals on PTSD and online safety), the Kathy Gannon Legacy Awards (annual journalism awards), the Annual Press Freedom Review (yearly statistical analysis), and the Journalists Behind Bars database. CFWIJ also provides direct support services including an Emergency Assistance Program for evacuations and relief, a Mentorship Program for professional development, and Mental Health Resources for trauma support. Content initiatives include Frontlines In-Focus (in-depth regional reporting) and Hire Women Journo (a directory connecting newsrooms with women journalists). These offerings function as a unified advocacy ecosystem rather than a modular technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Women Press Freedom: CFWIJ initiative focused on documenting and reporting press freedom violations against women journalists.
• Kathy Gannon Legacy Awards
• WIJ Institute

Products and services

• Women Press Freedom (WPF) Monitoring and documentation program that tracks violations against women and LGBTQI journalists globally, maintaining the primary coverage and incident reporting system used as the foundation for the Press Freedom Newsroom.
• Press Freedom Newsroom Daily coverage service that documents press freedom violations against women and LGBTQI journalists across 145 countries, providing real-time alerts and incident reporting to journalists, newsrooms, and partner organizations.
• Emergency Assistance Program Direct emergency relief service providing advocacy, survival funds, evacuations, relocations, legal support, and mental health therapy for women and LGBTQ journalists from vulnerable regions including Afghanistan, Ukraine, Iran, Mexico, Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, and Turkey.
• Mentorship Program Peer-support service connecting emerging and freelance women journalists with experienced mentors for guidance, professional development, and career advancement.
• Mental Health Resources Support resources for journalists offering stress management techniques, therapist directories, breathing and meditation guidelines, and peer-support connections for trauma related to reporting assignments.
• WIJ Institute Educational division providing training manuals and resources for journalists, including PTSD management guides and online safety protocols for women and non-binary journalists.
• Journalists Behind Bars Database Interactive database tracking women journalists currently imprisoned worldwide, documenting their cases and the violations against them to support evidence-based advocacy.
• Annual Press Freedom Review Comprehensive yearly analysis of attacks and violations against women journalists, documenting trends and providing statistical insights into press-freedom challenges used by advocates and partner organizations.
• Hire Women Journo Curated directory of women journalists organized by region and topic (MENA, Indigenous Canada, LGBTQI, Capitol insurrection, farmer protests, COVID-19) that connects newsrooms seeking diverse perspectives with vetted reporters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported and advocated for more than 4081 women journalists across 145 countries since 2019
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Rory Peck TrustflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaborative partner for the Kathy Gannon Legacy Awards. The Rory Peck Trust hosted CFWIJ's 2024 awards ceremony at their 30th anniversary Rory Peck Awards in London. Both organizations share missions of supporting freelance journalists.
• International Press Institute (IPI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner organization with shared mission of press freedom advocacy. Listed as a partner in CFWIJ's network of press freedom organizations.
• Reporters Without Borders (RSF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner organization with shared mission of press freedom. Listed as a partner in CFWIJ's network of press freedom organizations.
• Committee to Protect JournalistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner organization. Listed as a partner in CFWIJ's network of press freedom organizations.
• PEN International / PEN CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner organization. Listed as a partner in CFWIJ's network of organizations supporting freedom of expression.
• University of OttawacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with the Professional Development Institute (PDI) at University of Ottawa to host roundtable on Transnational Repression in October 2024, bringing together journalists, researchers, policymakers, and civil society members.
• Journalists for Human RightscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered for the Powerhouse Panel Confronting Global Violence Against Women in Media in November 2024, held in Toronto with the Embassy of the Netherlands. Shared mission of supporting journalists globally.
• Freedom HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner organization. Listed as a partner in CFWIJ's network. Yana Gorokhovskaia, Research Director at Freedom House, participated as panelist at CFWIJ's Transnational Repression roundtable.
• Radio Free Europe/Radio LibertycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization. Co-hosted the 'Standing with Jailed Journalists' reception in Washington DC in April 2024 with CFWIJ and other press freedom organizations.
• NYUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner organization listed in CFWIJ's network.
• University of DelhicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner organization listed in CFWIJ's network.
• Embassy of the Netherlands to CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized the Powerhouse Panel Confronting Global Violence Against Women in Media event in November 2024, part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
• CUNY Asian Media InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered for the Asian Media Initiative Forum: Safety and Press Freedom in AAPI Media in July 2024, a dedicated space for AAPI journalists to address threats and share strategies.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Committee to Protect Journalists: Global press freedom NGO that documents attacks on the press, advocates for jailed journalists, and provides emergency assistance — directly overlapping with CFWIJ's core mission, with CFWIJ distinguished by its exclusive focus on women and LGBTQI journalists.
• International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF): U.S.-based nonprofit focused exclusively on women journalists worldwide, providing grants, safety training, and reporting opportunities — the closest direct competitor in CFWIJ's women-journalist niche.
• Rory Peck Trust: UK-based organization supporting freelance journalists worldwide, including safety training and the Rory Peck Awards. CFWIJ co-presented the 2024 Kathy Gannon Legacy Awards at the Rory Peck Awards 30th anniversary, indicating close programmatic overlap.
• Index on Censorship: UK-based nonprofit promoting freedom of expression for journalists, artists, and writers. Operates a parallel mix of advocacy, emergency response, and award programming to CFWIJ's portfolio.
• Free Press Unlimited: Netherlands-based nonprofit supporting independent journalism and press freedom globally, including emergency support for journalists. Comparable operating model and global mandate to CFWIJ, with broader geographic program scope.

Broad incumbents

• Reporters Without Borders (RSF): Largest international press freedom organization operating in over 100 countries. CFWIJ lists RSF as a featured partner; RSF's broader mandate and larger budget make it a broader incumbent with overlapping safety and advocacy programs.
• International Press Institute (IPI): Global press freedom network of editors, journalists, and media executives; listed as a CFWIJ partner. Operates overlapping advocacy and journalist-safety programming across multiple regions.
• PEN International: Worldwide writers' and journalists' free-expression organization that advocates for persecuted writers and runs a Writers in Prison Committee. CFWIJ lists PEN International and PEN Canada as featured partners, reflecting overlapping free-expression mandates.
• Freedom House: U.S.-based democracy and human rights NGO that produces the annual Freedom in the World report. CFWIJ's Freedom House Research Director participation in its Transnational Repression roundtable shows overlapping advocacy on transnational press freedom threats.

Emerging players

• Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma: Specialized organization providing trauma-reporting training and resources for journalists. Overlaps with CFWIJ's WIJ Institute mental-health programming and Press Freedom Newsroom trauma coverage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CfWiJ
• Facebookfacebook.com/coalitionforwomeninjournalism
• Instagraminstagram.com/womeninjournalism
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-coalition-for-women-in-journalism

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Coalition For Women In Journalism