Journalists in Distress Fund
"I don’t exactly know how I can thank you enough after I’ve spent six long months of misery. Indeed it is very kind of you and your organization to think of me and present me with such a great help. I first shifted to a safer location, and your input was vital in moving me from Uganda to a secure town in Norway. Thank you so much time and again."
- Eritrean journalist and blogger forced to flee after release from prison, 2012
CJFE's Journalists in Distress Fund provides humanitarian assistance to journalists whose lives and well-being are threatened. In most cases, the journalists we help have been attacked or threatened because of their profession.
About the Journalists in Distress Fund
• The recipient must be a journalist, vetted or verifiable by either an IFEX member or an organisation that provides journalist assistance
• Preference is given to cases where danger to the journalist is imminent or the situation is urgent
• The amount granted typically ranges from $500 to $1500 CDN, depending on the case
• Journalists are eligible for a maximum of two separate grants from CJFE
• Since its creation in 1999, the fund has disbursed over $215,000 CDN
What does the Journalists in Distress Fund provide financial support for?
• Lawyers' fees when journalists are detained
• Medical expenses when they are caught in the line of fire or traumatized by their coverage
• Transportation costs when they are forced to flee
• Financial support for the families of journalists who have been killed or imprisoned
• Resettlement costs within first year of arriving in final safe country
The Journalists in Distress Fund will not support:
• Ongoing expenses which will not lead to the resolution of the journalist’s predicament
• Ongoing expenses to organizations, institutions, or enterprises
• Support for education, professional development or public appearances
• An applicant who is facing a problem that is unrelated to their work as a journalist (ex. the journalist has been diagnosed with cancer and needs medical attention)
• An applicant who has been found to be engaged in fraudulent activity
To apply to the Journalists in Distress Fund, please download the attached application form.
To learn more about the Journalists in Distress Fund, or to request the application form in Word instead of PDF format, please contact us at jid@cjfe.org.
