Apply Now: Regional Training on Gender-Responsive Reporting and Digital Violence Against Women

Deadline: 26-Aug-2026

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN), in partnership with the Kosovo Women’s Network, is offering a two-day regional training for journalists, media professionals, and journalism students from the Western Balkans. The programme focuses on gender-responsive journalism, technology-facilitated violence against women and girls, ethical reporting, digital safety, and investigative techniques, with selected participants later eligible for a four-month editorial mentorship and journalism prize.

About the BIRN Regional Journalism Training

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) is organising an intensive regional training to strengthen media professionals’ ability to investigate and report on digital violence against women and girls. The programme is delivered in partnership with the Kosovo Women’s Network and focuses on improving gender-sensitive and survivor-centred journalism across the Western Balkans. The training responds to the growing use of digital technologies to facilitate forms of gender-based violence that can threaten women’s safety, privacy, freedom of expression, and participation in public life. What Is Technology-Facilitated Violence Against Women? Technology-facilitated violence against women refers to gender-based abuse carried out, enabled, or amplified through digital technologies and online platforms. Technology-enabled attacks against women journalists and public figures. Coordinated online harassment campaigns. Abuse involving emerging technologies and digital platforms. The training will help participants recognise these forms of violence and understand how they affect survivors, journalists, sources, and wider society. Key Objectives of the Training The programme aims to strengthen journalists’ ability to produce accurate, ethical, and gender-responsive reporting on technology-facilitated violence.

Participants will learn how to

Identify different forms of digital violence against women and girls. Improving media responses to gender-based violence. Participants will have opportunities to apply the concepts through practical exercises rather than relying only on classroom-based learning. Who Is Eligible? The training is aimed at media and journalism professionals from the Western Balkans.

Eligible participants include:

Journalists. Media professionals. Journalism students. Other individuals working or studying in journalism and media. Applicants should have an interest in gender-responsive reporting, investigative journalism, digital violence, or gender-based violence. The programme is particularly relevant for participants who want to investigate how technology and digital platforms affect women’s safety and participation in public life. Why This Training Matters Digital violence against women is increasingly connected to broader issues of gender equality, freedom of expression, privacy, online safety, and democratic participation. Journalists play an important role in documenting these forms of abuse and informing the public. However, reporting can also unintentionally expose survivors to additional harm if journalists do not follow appropriate ethical and survivor-centred practices. This programme therefore combines investigative journalism with gender-sensitive reporting and digital safety. The training can help media professionals: Improve the quality of reporting on gender-based violence. Editorial guidance throughout the reporting process. A journalism prize to support the production of the investigative story. This provides participants with an opportunity to turn an initial investigation idea into a publishable journalistic project. What Is Covered for Selected Participants? BIRN will provide support for selected participants attending the training.

Covered costs include:

Accommodation. Meals. Travel expenses. Participants selected for the subsequent editorial mentorship and story-production opportunity may also receive a journalism prize to support the development and production of their investigative stories. How the Programme Works The programme follows a practical progression from training to potential story development.

Step 1: Apply for the Training

Eligible journalists, media professionals, and journalism students from the Western Balkans submit their applications according to the programme requirements.

Step 2: Participate in the Two-Day Training

Selected participants attend the intensive regional training. The sessions combine presentations, workshops, investigative techniques, practical exercises, and case studies.

Step 3: Develop an Investigative Story Idea

During and after the training, participants can develop ideas related to digital violence against women and gender-responsive journalism.

Step 4: Submit a Final Story Pitch

Participants have the opportunity to submit a developed story pitch following the training.

Step 5: Join the Editorial Mentorship

The strongest pitches may be selected for the four-month editorial mentorship programme.

Step 6: Produce the Investigative Story

Selected participants receive editorial and technical support and may receive a journalism prize to help produce their final investigative stories. What Should Applicants Focus On? Strong applicants should demonstrate a clear interest in journalism and the issues addressed by the programme. A compelling application should communicate: Your journalism or media background. Your interest in gender-responsive reporting. Your understanding of digital violence against women. Your investigative journalism interests. How the training could strengthen your reporting. Potential story ideas you may wish to investigate. Your interest in continuing with the editorial mentorship opportunity. Tips for Applicants Applicants should consider the following before applying:

Choose a clear area of interest: Explain what aspect of digital violence or gender-based violence you want to investigate.

Demonstrate journalistic motivation: Show how the trai