Since 24 February 2022, Ukrainian journalists have been at constant risk, continuing their work in unsafe conditions. The full-scale war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine has dealt a significant blow to the financial sustainability of entire media outlets and individual journalists. In response to the challenges faced by Ukraine’s journalistic community, ECPMF has launched the Voices of Ukraine programme.
What is included in the programme?
Voices of Ukraine offers support in four areas: emergency stipends, professional training, grants to replace damaged or lost equipment, and short-term residencies in Kosovo.
The programme also includes the Re:Cover conference in Bratislava, Slovakia on 9-11 December 2022, which brought together more than 200 journalists from Ukraine and other countries to discuss how the war has changed their work and what the media landscape in Ukraine will be like in the future.
What does the programme offer?
Voices of Ukraine offers emergency stipends for journalists who continue working in Ukraine. The monthly stipend is around 550 euros. It can be increased in individual cases. A total of 120 stipends are available to cover basic living expenses.
Emergency stipend programme participants also gain access to professional training on disinformation, digital security and psychological resilience during the war.
Participants are selected by a Ukrainian partner of the ECPMF, the Public Interest Journalism Lab, with the support of the trade unions.
The Voices of Ukraine programme also provides grants to replace journalistic equipment that has been damaged or lost while working in a war zone or as a result of having to leave the country. In addition, media outlets can apply for grants to replace obsolete equipment if it will improve the quality of their reporting. Funds for technology support are distributed by the Fix Media Foundation (Netherlands).
As part of the Voices of Ukraine programme, 20 Ukrainian media workers who need to stay and work in a safe environment, are offered participation in the Journalist-in-Residence programme in Kosovo. They receive a monthly stipend of €500, a free furnished flat, medical insurance, psychological support and access to professional training, as well as a one-off payment of €1000 for relocation to Kosovo. The duration of each residence is up to 6 months. Read more here.
Another element of the Voices of Ukraine programme is an international conference on war reporting, exile media, and how to support them. The conference took place in Bratislava, Slovakia and bring together over 240 media workers from 21 countries.
How long will the programme last?
Voices of Ukraine runs from 1 August to 31 December 2022 with the support of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is part of the Hannah-Arendt-Initiative of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Federal Commissioner for Culture and Media to protect journalists at risk.
