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The Qatar Press Center values the role of female journalists on International Women's Day.

On International Women's Day, the Qatar Press Center salutes female journalists and media professionals around the world, recognizing their role in enriching the profession and shaping public awareness on social, political, and cultural issues. The Center emphasizes that the media serves as a tool for development and positive change in all aspects of life.

The Center expresses its deep appreciation for the resilience and sacrifices of female journalists and media professionals in Gaza and conflict zones worldwide, acknowledging their determination to report the truth despite the immense dangers. The Center affirms that these sacrifices are an integral part of people's struggle for freedom and justice, rejecting the erasure of crimes and the suppression of truth.

The Center reiterates its condemnation of the violations faced by journalists globally, including arbitrary arrests, intimidation, enforced disappearances, physical assaults, and online threats aimed at silencing the press.

It calls on international organizations, human rights groups, and global institutions to condemn the targeting of journalists through killings, arrests, and intimidation. The Center urges legal action against those responsible, including instigators and perpetrators, by holding them accountable in international courts for war crimes against journalists and media professionals.

The Center stresses the necessity for the United Nations to fulfill its responsibilities in protecting journalists worldwide by adopting a binding agreement on their safety and independence. It calls for adequate measures to ensure their security and well-being, allowing them to carry out their duties without fear or intimidation. Furthermore, it demands international accountability for states committing blatant violations against journalists, to put an end to impunity.

The Center also urges the international community to pressure governments that imprison journalists for their work—especially Israel—to release them, as many endure dire conditions that deprive them of even their most basic rights as prisoners, as stipulated in international laws and conventions.

Alarming Increase

Data from the Qatar Press Center has recorded a surge in attacks against journalists worldwide over the past year, marking a disturbing rise in violence, particularly in conflict zones. Gaza was identified as the most dangerous place for journalists globally.

Since the start of the genocide in Gaza on October 7, 2023, and over a span of 471 days, the Israeli occupation forces have deliberately targeted journalists, resulting in the martyrdom of over 206 journalists, according to official sources.

The Women Martyrs of Gaza

According to the latest data from the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, 25 Palestinian female journalists have been killed in Gaza, while 22 others were injured by Israeli gunfire and missiles over the past year. Additionally, dozens of female journalists have faced arrest and ill-treatment in Israeli prisons, while more than 90% have been forcibly displaced from their homes. This reflects an unbearable reality of compounded suffering, aimed at suppressing the truth and distorting public awareness.

The Syndicate emphasized that these violations contradict international laws and agreements and constitute a blatant breach of international law. They violate UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/68/163, which obligates states to protect journalists and media workers, as well as Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees freedom of expression and access to information. Additionally, they contravene the Fourth Geneva Convention, which protects journalists as civilians during armed conflicts.

The Syndicate asserted that these violations amount to war crimes that necessitate accountability. It also warned that international silence on these crimes amounts to complicity with the aggressor, enabling the continued terrorization of journalists and attempts to silence their voices, which convey the truth and express the Palestinian people's hopes for freedom.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate called on the international community, human rights organizations, and media advocacy groups to fulfill their legal and moral responsibilities toward Palestinian female journalists and to take concrete steps to halt Israel's ongoing violations against them.

Targeting Journalists

A report by Reporters Without Borders highlighted a significant increase in the number of journalists detained, killed, held hostage, and reported missing worldwide in 2024. Currently, 550 journalists are imprisoned across various countries, marking a 7.2% increase compared to 2023.

Since 2020, the world has witnessed a record number of journalist fatalities due to their coverage of ongoing events in conflict zones, including countries in the Middle East such as Iraq and Sudan, as well as other nations like Myanmar and Ukraine.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a global organization advocating for press freedom based in New York, Syria was considered the most dangerous country for journalists in recent years. Since 2011, more than 80 journalists have been kidnapped in Syria, with around 20 still missing.