Unseen burdens: the invisible backpack of women journalists in exile
Thu 16 April 2026
16:00
Free
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Across continents, authoritarian governments force journalists into exile. For women journalists, gendered violence, systemic discrimination and economic precarity weigh heavily in an “invisible backpack” they carry everywhere. Sexualized threats, digital harassment, caregiving pressures, and misogynistic campaigns undermine their credibility and silence their voices.
This session unites women journalists from Central America, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe to reveal what weighs on them in exile and to explore what specific challenges they encounter as women journalists. They will share personal stories about the obstacles they face in rebuilding careers and identities abroad while highlighting the urgent need for press freedom support systems that address gender‑specific challenges. And they will discuss key insights from DW Akademie’s Space for Freedom program, part of the Hannah Arendt Initiative, which is dedicated to protecting democratic values and supporting journalists in exile.
Moderated by Nadine Jurrat.
Sponsored by DW Akademie.
Modified more than a month ago
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Abigail Hernandez
Abigail Hernández is a Nicaraguan journalist living in exile in Costa Rica. She is the founder and director of La Sala – mujeres en la redacción, a network that brings together women-led Central American media outlets in a shared workspace. The initiative aims to strengthen the position of female journalists through collaborative journalism and to expand media perspectives on gender-based violence and women’s rights. Hernández is widely recognized for her journalistic work on human rights and freedom of expression. For more than a decade, she has practiced journalism under state surveillance, censorship, and systematic persecution, emerging as one of the most prominent journalists of her generation to keep critical reporting alive under Nicaragua’s dictatorship.
Nadine Jurrat
Nadine Jurrat is the Deputy Head of DW Akademie’s Asia and Europe Department and has more than two decades of experience in international media development. She has worked with journalists and media organizations reporting from some of the world’s most challenging crisis zones or from exile, supporting them in developing strategies for safety, resilience, and viability. Nadine has co-authored several publications in these fields and played a pivotal role in founding the Journalists in Distress Network, a global support system for at risk media professionals. She trained at the London School of Journalism and holds degrees from Queen Mary University, London and the Institute of Latin American Studies at the University of London.
Hsu Mon Phyo
Hsu Mon Phyo is the co‑founder and Program Director of Delta News Agency, a regional media outlet dedicated to independent reporting on the Irrawaddy Delta and surrounding areas. She oversees both editorial and operational strategy, drawing on nearly eight years of experience from previous roles at Education Digest, The Irrawaddy (Burmese edition), 7 Days News, DVB, and Yangon Journalism School.
Irina Novik
Irina Novik is an investigative journalist and author. She works as a correspondent for the independent media Vot Tak and also has contributed to top independent media such as Novaya Gazeta Europe, The Insider and Meduza. She is the author of Army of Criminals, the first online database of Russian army commanders committing crimes during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Her articles and videos have been nominated for the Russian journalism award Redkollegia 11 times. Her book I Am a Deserter explores the experiences of Russian soldiers who fled the war, offering rare insight into desertion and anti-war resistance. In October 2025, she was designated a “foreign agent” by Russian authorities for her work.
Festival Internazionale del Giornalismo
Il Festival Internazionale del Giornalismo di Perugia è un evento annuale che riunisce professionisti dei media, esperti di comunicazione e appassionati di informazione da tutto il mondo. Si svolge nel centro storico di Perugia e offre conferenze, dibattiti, workshop e opportunità di networking sui temi più rilevanti del giornalismo contemporaneo.