When reporting is dominated by men, so is the content.

The dearth of women in media leadership has an effect on how issues are covered. Gender-specific issues often go underreported — or coverage reflects gender stereotypes. A recent study on coverage of reproductive rights found that most articles were written by men, and that men were quoted more frequently than women as well.

The IWMF’s grants and fellowships are changing the global narrative by bringing underreported stories to readers and viewers around the world. Our Reporting Grants for Women’s Stories supports women journalists who cover women and girls and issues that affect them. Recent projects include reporting on maternal health care in Somalia, all-female equestrian team in Morocco, and attacks on abortion by the Russian government. Fellows in our Adelante and African Great Lakes Reporting Initiatives cover topics ranging from migration to the environment, and many opt to look at these issues through the lens of how they affect local women and families in these regions.

At a time when reporters who spotlight women’s rights are still attacked or persecuted, our fellows persist in producing stories that run in top outlets — and fill an unmet need for content from a diversity of perspectives.