This page provides an overview of tools and resources developed by other organisations, revolving around the topic of the safety of journalists. The following categories can be discerned:
See here for an overview of tools and resources specifically targeted to women journalists and/or issues that predominantly affect women journalists.
Practical resources
| Resource | Year | Description | Language(s) | Safety dimension(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Journalists in Distress: Securing Your Digital Life (Canadian Journalists for Free Expression) | n.d. | This website contains information, tips and resources on protecting oneself and others against digital vulnerabilities that state and non-state actors can exploit. | English, French, Arabic | Digital |
| Cybersecurity Toolkit for Journalists (Global Cyber Alliance) | n.d. | This toolkit, designed to be completed in seven steps, aims to empower independent journalists, watchdogs, and small newsrooms with information and tools to protect their sources and reputation. | English | Digital |
| Explainers (Privacy International) | n.d. | This series of videos and blogs explain concepts such as digital safety, surveillance and privacy. | English | |
| Data Detox Kit (Tactical Tech) | n.d. | This toolkit shows everyday steps one can take to control one’s digital privacy, digital security, and digital well-being. | English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Norwegian, Ukrainian, Chinese | Digital |
| Surveillance Self-Defense (Electronic Frontier Foundation) | n.d. | This guide provides tips, tools and how-tos for safer online communications and how to protect oneself from online spying. | English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Urdu, Russian, Turkish, Vietnamese, Thai, Tigrinya | Digital |
| C.O.A.C.H (Crash Override) | n.d. | This step-by-step guide coaches one through basic digital security and safety. | English | Digital |
| Resources for Wellbeing & Stress Management (Front Line Defenders) | n.d. | This website contains ideas for human rights defenders on how to deal with and relieve stress. | English | Psycho-social |
| Coping with Emotional Impact on Online Harassment (International Press Institute, in cooperation with Dart Centre Europe) | n.d. | This video series, which are part of the Newsroom Ontheline platform, describe measures that both newsrooms and journalists can take to prevent or minimise emotional stress and trauma that online harassment can create. | English | Psycho-social |
| Safety of Female Journalists Online (OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media) | n.d. | This website provides a number of resources on online harassment of women journalists, amongst others on digital safety and trauma. | English | Digital |
| DIY Guide to Feminist Cybersecurity (HACK*BLOSSOM) | n.d. | This guide is a comprehensive and accessible introduction to valuable cyber security tools. | English, Spanish | Digital |
| Emergency Checklist for Digital Security (Hamara Internet) | n.d. | This checklist considers what one can do to reclaim one’s space online in case of an emergency, especially aimed at women and girls. | English, Arabic | Digital |
| Take Control of Technology to End Gender-Based Violence: Be Safe (Take Back the Tech) | n.d. | As part of a larger campaign, these guides contain strategies specific to a certain type of online violence, namely cyberstalking, extortion and hate speech. | English, French, Spanish | Digital |
| The Holistic Security Manual (Tactical Tech) | n.d. | This guide adopts an explicitly 'holistic' approach to security and protection strategies for human rights defenders, and thus integrates digital security, psycho-social well-being and organisational security processes. | English | Holistic |
| Privacy Analyser (Privacy.net) | n.d. | This tool lists information that any website, advertisement, and widget can collect from your web browser, which could be used to identify you and/or track your behaviour. | English | Digital |
| Freelance Journalist Safety Checklist (ACOS Alliance) | n.d. | This safety checklist enables editors and journalists to ensure they have considered the relevant concerns before an assignment. | English | Physical |
| Model Freelance Publishing Agreement (ACOS Alliance) | n.d. | This Model Freelance Publishing Agreement aims to help media companies and freelance journalists agree terms that protect the interests and safety of freelance journalists. | English, Arabic | Physical |
| New Protection Manual for Human Rights Defenders (Protection International) | 2009 | This manual provides human rights defenders with additional knowledge and some tools that may be useful for improving their understanding of security and protection. | English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Indonesian, Swahili | |
| A Survival Guide for Journalists (Peter McIntyre, for the International Federation of Journalists) | 2003 | This book is a compilation of the knowledge and experience of journalists who live and work on the front line of conflict and who have learned to survive while continuing to do their jobs. | English | Physical |
| Reporting for Change: A Handbook for Local Journalists in Crisis Areas (Institute for War and Peace Reporting) | 2004 | This handbook, targeted at journalists in crisis areas, teaches international reporting standards, explaining the journalistic process clearly, from subject choice to final editing. | English, Arabic, Farsi, Russian, Kazakh, Kyrgz, Tajik | Physical |
| Choosing a Psychotherapist (Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma) | 2010 | This guide contains tips for journalists who are seeking therapy. | English | Psycho-social |
| Basic Internet Security Guide (Greenhost) | 2011 | This guide offers information on basic internet security. | English | Digital |
| Guide to Safely and Securely Producing Media (Small World News) | 2011 | This guide explains how journalists can share their story with the world safely as well as how to communicate their story more effectively. | English, Arabic | Physical |
| SpeakSafe: Media Workers' Toolkit for Safer Online and Mobile Practices (Internews) | 2012 | This toolkit introduces journalists, bloggers and media workers to simple yet effective practices to maintain control of important information and communications. | English, Spanish, Arabic | Digital |
| Journalist Security Guide: Covering the News in a Dangerous and Changing World (Committee to Protect Journalists) | 2012 | This guide provides journalists with tools and information on how to cover the news in a dangerous and changing world, and is part of the four-part Safety Kit. | English | Physical Digital Psycho-social |
| Reporting Atrocities: A Toolbox for Journalists Covering Violent Conflict and Atrocities (Peter du Toit, for Internews) | 2014 | This toolkit provides insights and tools for journalists reporting on extremely violent conflicts. | English | Physical Psycho-social |
| Security Manual for Protest Coverage (Abraji) | 2014 | This handbook contains tips and anecdotes from professionals who have experienced risky incidents while covering protests. | English | Physical |
| Speak Up & Stay Safe(r): A Guide to Protecting Yourself from Online Harassment (Feminist Frequency) | 2015 | This guide details best security practices for social media, email, online gaming, website platforms, and ensuring privacy of personal information online, as well as the documentation and reporting of harassment, and caring for oneself emotionally during an online attack. | English, Spanish, Arabic | Digital |
| GroundTruth: A Field Guide for Correspondents (The GroundTruth Project) | 2015 | This guide contains guidelines on how to operate safely in the field, as well as essays by veteran journalists. | English | Physical |
| Safety Guide for Journalists: A Handbook for Reporters in High-Risk Environments (UNESCO & Reporters Without Borders) | 2015 | This guide aims at providing guidelines and practical advice for journalists who work in high-risk environments. | English, French, Spanish, Arabic | Physical Digital Psycho-social |
| Digital First Aid Kit (Digital Defenders Partnership et al.) | 2016 | This toolkit provides preliminary support for people facing the most common types of digital threats, such as journalists, human rights defenders, bloggers and activists. | English | Digital |
| Security in a Box - Digital Security Tools and Tactics (Front Line Defenders & Tactical Tech) | 2016 | This toolkit covers basic principles, including advice on how to use social media and mobile phones more safely. | English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Farsi, Russian, Chinese, Thai, Turkish, Indonesian, Vietnamese | Digital |
| Flipcards (Me and My Shadow) | 2016 | These flipcards are aimed at raising awareness about our ‘digital shadows’ and providing information about how to protect one’s privacy. NB: the flipcards are no longer updated and may contain outdated information. | English, French, Spanish, German, Arabic, Urdu, Russian | Digital |
| Workbook on Security: Practical Steps for Human Rights Defenders at Risk (Front Line Defenders) | 2016 | This workbook takes one through the steps to producing a security plan – for oneself and for one’s organisation – by following a systematic approach for assessing one’s security situation and developing risk and vulnerability reduction strategies and tactics. | English, Dari, Urdu, Somali | Physical Digital |
| A Guide to Staying Online if the Internet or Social Media Gets Blocked in Your Country (Quartz Africa) | 2017 | This guide contains tips on how to avoid partial internet shutdowns imposed by the government. | English | Digital |
| Safety Guide for Journalists: A Handbook for Reporters in High-Risk Environments (UNESCO & Reporters Without Borders) | 2017 | Chapter 6.2 of this guide goes into psychological trauma and contains tips on how to manage traumatic stress. | English | Psycho-social |
| Covering Trauma: Six Tips for Protecting Your Mental Health (Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma) | 2017 | This article contains tips for journalists on how to report sensibly on traumatic events, while taking their psycho-social safety into account. | English | Psycho-social |
| Journalism and Vicarious Trauma (First Draft) | 2017 | This guide deals with vicarious trauma in newsroom careers. | English | Psycho-social |
| Safety Net Manual: Guidelines for Journalists in Extraordinary or Emergency Situations (South East Europe Media Organization) | 2017 | This manual contains safety guidelines in extraordinary situations, like reporting from conflict areas, during demonstrations and social unrest, about natural and other disasters etc. | English, Bosnian, Serbian, Montenegrin, Bulgarian, Croatian, Slovenian, Romanian, Macedonian, Greek, Italian, Turkish | Physical Legal |
| Safe + Secure Handbook (Doc Society) | 2017 | This handbook contains many resources and issue-checklists concerning the safety and security issues that documentary filmmakers face. | English | Physical |
| What If…? Safety Handbook for Women Journalists (International Association of Women in Radio and Television) | 2017 | This handbook is specifically addressed to women journalists working in war and conflict. It contains advice and recommendations on security and safety and includes sections on, amongst others, risk assessment, online harassment and travel safety. | English | Physical |
| Let's Talk: Personal Boundaries, Safety & Women in Journalism (Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma) | 2017 | This tip sheet offers strategies for how to recognise, mitigate or address sexual harassment and other predatory behavior encountered while reporting. | English | Physical |
| Psychological Safety (Committee to Protect Journalists) | 2018 | This safety note contains tips for journalists on how to take care of their psychological safety. | English, French, Spanish, Portuguese | Psycho-social |
| Self-Doxing Guide (Access Now) | 2018 | This guide contains tips and resources for exploring open source intelligence on oneself to prevent malicious actors from finding and using this information for publishing, blackmailing or other forms of harassment. | English | Digital |
| Online Harassment Field Manual (PEN America) | 2018 | This manual contains strategies and resources on how to defend oneself against cyber hate and how to fight online abuse. | English | Digital |
| Physical Safety: Civil Disorder (Committee to Protect Journalists) | 2018 | This safety note contains concrete safety advice in the context of civil disorder, such as during reporting on crowd violence or mobs. | English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Russian, Chinese | Physical |
| Physical Safety: Terrorist Attacks (Committee to Protect Journalists) | 2018 | This safety note contains concrete safety advice in the context of civil terrorist attacks. | English, French, Spanish, Portuguese | Physical |
| Physical Safety: Natural Disasters and Extreme Weather (Committee to Protect Journalists) | 2018 | This safety note contains concrete safety advice in the context of natural disasters and extreme weather. | English, French, Spanish, Portuguese | Physical |
| Face à la Montée des Risques en Période Électorale: Petit Manuel de Securité pour les Journalistes (Journaliste en Danger) | 2018 | This manual contains concrete safety advice in the context of electoral campaigns. | French | Physical |
| If You're Being Harassed: 12-Step Approach (Press Forward) | 2018 | This article presents 12 steps that women can take whenever they are faced with sexual harassment in the workplace. | English | Physical |
| Sexual Harassment in the Media (Women in News) | 2018 | This toolkit, aimed at both media employers and employees, discusses how to deal with and prevent sexual harassment in media organisations. It contains a practical guide, a sample sexual harassment policy and a sample sexual harassment survey. | English | Physical |
| Digital Safety Kit (Committee to Protect Journalists) | 2019 | These six safety notes are targeted at journalists looking to better protect themselves. The topics are the protection of accounts, phishing, device security, encrypted communications, secure internet use, and crossing borders. | English, French, Spanish, Russian, Persian | Digital |
| Safe Sisters Guide (Internews & Defend Defenders) | 2018 | This booklet contains common sense strategies for digital safety, aimed at women and girls. | English, Kiswahili, Burmese | Digital |
| The Empowering Internet Safety Guide for Women (vpnMentor) | 2018 | This guide aims to empower women to navigate the internet without fear and gives tips and advice on how to stand up to (sexual) harassment, both online and offline. | English | Digital |
| The Complete Guide to Understanding and Dealing with Online Trolls (Ragen Chaistain) | 2018 | In this article Ragen Chastain shares her experiences with trolls and harassers, and how she deals with them. | English | Digital |
| Digital First Aid Kit (CiviCERT) | 2019 | This resource informs about the most common types of digital emergencies and the way one can protect oneself against digital security risks. | English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Russian | Digital |
| TLDR Digital Safety Checklist (Hongkongkong) | 2019 | This checklist contains recommendations, sorted in ascending levels of difficulty, on how to protect one’s personal digital security. | English, Chinese | Digital |
| Dealing with Hate Campaigns: Toolkit for Journalists (Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma) | 2019 | This toolkit provides journalists, but also their bosses and colleagues, tools and tips in the case of an online hate campaign. | English, Spanish | Digital |
| Measures for Newsrooms and Journalists to Address Online Harassment (International Press Institute) | 2019 | This website offers comprehensive resources for newsrooms to combat online harassment against journalists and its effects on press freedom. | English | Digital |
| 6 Tips for Responding to Online Attacks Against Journalists (Global Investigative Journalism Network) | 2019 | These six tips outline techniques that newsrooms around the world can implement in order to combat online harassment. | English, Arabic, Russian, Bengali | Digital |
| Psychological Safety: Online Harassment and How to Protect Your Mental Health (Committee to Protect Journalists) | 2019 | This safety note contains tips for journalists on how to take care of their emotional well-being in the face of online harassment. | English, French, Spanish | Psycho-social |
| How Journalists Can Protect Their Mental Health Before, During and After Assignments (IREX) | 2019 | This page is part of IREX’s Securing Access to Free Expression (SAFE) project that has streamlined psycho-social safety in its work. | English, Spanish | Psycho-social |
| Physical Safety: War Reporting (Committee to Protect Journalists) | 2019 | This safety note contains recommendations on how to mitigate risks when going on assignment in a conflict zone. | English | Physical |
| Physical Safety: Solo Reporting (Committee to Protect Journalists) | 2019 | This safety note contains recommendations on how to mitigate risks when on assignment alone. | English, French, Spanish | Physical |
| Physical Safety: Mitigating Sexual Violence (Committee to Protect Journalists) | 2019 | This safety note contains recommendations on how to minimise the risk of being a victim of sexual violence. | English, French, Spanish | Physical |
| Your Smartphone and You: A Handbook to Modern Mobile Maintenance (Freedom of the Press Foundation) | 2019 | This guide contains tips on how to protect one’s online safety while using a mobile phone. | English | Digital |
| How to Survive an Internet Shutdown (ExpressVPN) | 2019 | This guide contains tips on how to avoid partial internet shutdowns imposed by the government. | English | Digital |
| News Organizations Safety Self-Assessment (ACOS Alliance) | 2019 | This tool enables news organisations to review and improve their current safety practices and protocols, by helping them to identify and better understand their own weaknesses and strengths when it comes to the security of their media professionals. | English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian | Physical Digital Psycho-social |
| Philippine Journalists' Safety Guide (National Union of Journalists of the Philippines) | 2020 | This guide includes practical tips for Filipino journalists, modified for Philippine coverages and context. It is divided into eight chapters, each one detailing practical steps and procedures based on actual experiences and practices to ensure your personal safety and security. | English, Tagalog, Bisaya | Physical Digital Psycho-social |
| COVID-19 News Organizations Safety Protocols (ACOS Alliance) | 2020 | This resource offers a tool for news organisations to adopt safety protocols that respond to the extraordinary circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic. This document pays special attention to working with freelancers, including best practices around key issues like accreditation, PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), insurance and expenses. | English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian | Physical Psycho-social |
| Leading Resilience: A Guide for Editors and Managers. Working with Freelancers Exposed to Trauma (ACOS Alliance) | 2020 | This toolkit is designed specifically for news editors and managers working with freelance journalists, containing practical information, tips and guidance to help editors assess trauma exposure among freelance contributors and then plan the necessary action and support. | English | Psycho-social |
| Civil Unrest Resources (ACOS Alliance) | 2021 | This page contains resources from ACOS Alliance members on protest situations, covering everything from risk assessment and planning to situational awareness and on-the-ground tactics. | English | Physical |
| Resources for Reporters Coping with Trauma (Global Investigative Journalism Network) | 2021 | This extensive list of resources serves to support journalists in coping with trauma. | English | Psycho-social |
| Online Violence Response Hub (Coalition Against Online Violence) | 2021 | This hub is a robust resource center where women journalists – and newsrooms – can find updated research, emergency assistance, and easy-to-follow recommendations for their specific situation. | English | Digital |
Curricula
| Name | Year | Content |
|---|---|---|
| SaferJourno: Digital Security Resources for Media Trainers (Internews) | 2014 | Module 1: Assessing Risks Module 2: Malware and Basic Protection Module 3: Keeping Data Safe Module 4: Researching Securely Module 5: Protecting Email Module 6: Mobile Phone Safety |
| The James W. Foley Journalist Safety Guide (James W. Foley Legacy Foundation) | 2016 | Seminar 1: Lessons from 'Jim: The James Foley Story' Seminar 2: How to Conduct Risk Assessments and What New Journalists Should Consider Seminar 3: Case Studies from Journalists Seminar 4: Risks to Consider in Covering Domestic Civil Unrest Seminar 5: Digital Security |
| Model Course on Safety of Journalists: A Guide for Journalism Teachers in the Arab States (UNESCO & International Federation of Journalists) | 2017 | Lesson 1: Introduction to Journalism Safety and Threats to Media Workers Lesson 2: Planning for Personal Safety Lesson 3: Personal Health Care and Trauma in Hostile Environments Lesson 4: Risk Assessment Lesson 5: Travel Security Lesson 6: Digital Security Lesson 7: Gender and Safe Reporting Lesson 8: Covering Demonstrations and Civil Unrest Lesson 9: Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Lesson 10: Ethics Lesson 11: Safety and Investigative Journalism |
| Legal Standards on Freedom of Expression: Toolkit for the Judiciary in Africa (UNESCO) | 2018 | Most relevant: Module 4: Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity |
| Freedom of Expression and Public Order: Training Manual (UNESCO) | 2018 | Module 1: Journalism, Democracy and Freedom of Expression Module 2: Safety of Journalists Module 3: A Toolbox for Journalists Covering Conflicts, Riots and Demonstrations Module 4: Security Forces: Ensuring Journalists Can access the Information They Need Module 5: Operational Safety Procedures When Dealing with the Media Module 6: Coverage of Judicial Proceedings by the Media Module 7: Communicating with the Media |
| SAFE Basic Training Curriculum (IREX) | 2018 | Physical Safety: risk assessment; situational awareness; planning; first aid Digital Security: the digital-physical divide; social engineering; securing passwords; keeping our computers healthy; how the internet works; browser security; smartphone security Psycho-social Lessons: risk assessment; risk identification; stress management; self care; psycho-social well-being/first aid |
| Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) course on Protection and Safety of Journalists (Council of Europe) | 2020 | |
| Training Resource Hub (Media Defence) | 2021 | Freedom of expression Digital rights Restricting Internet access & online content Defamation & reputation Privacy, security & data protection Cybercrimes Hate speech Censorship by private actors False news, misinformation & propaganda Litigating freedom of expression |
Repositories
| Website | Description | Language(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Resources for Freelance Journalists: Safety and Security (Rory Peck Trust) | Online resources on safety and security | English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian |
| Resources for Freelance Journalists: Digital Security (Rory Peck Trust) | Online resources on digital security | English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian |
| Advisories (International News Safety Institute) | Guidelines on safety issues from 'How to protect yourself while covering protests' to 'Covering wars and conflicts' | English |
| Safety Repository (Canadian Journalists for Free Expression) | Emergency assistance programmes, manuals, guides and tips | English |
| Help Desk Safety and Security (Money Trail) | (Training) material, presentations and resources | English |
| Help Desk Legal Defence and Emergency Aid (Global Investigative Journalism Network) | Resources on physical and digital security | English |
| Safety Kit: Safety Notes (Global Investigative Journalism Network) | Resources on legal defence and emergency aid for journalists | English |
| Safety Kit: Safety Notes (Committee to Protect Journalists) | Security advice on topics ranging from risk assessments to digital and psycho-social safety | English |
| Safety Kit: Resource Centre (Pre-assignment preparation) (Committee to Protect Journalists) | Pre-assignment considerations and recommendations: safety manuals and guides; planning; training; insurance; personal protective equipment; medical preparedness; trauma preparedness; digital safety preparedness | English |
| Safety Kit: Resource Centre (Post-incident assistance) (Committee to Protect Journalists) | Post-incident assistance (for journalists in distress): emergency relocation; legal support; prison support; family support; trauma support; digital support; damaged/confiscated equipment replacement; awards and fellowships | English |
| Directory of legal support services (Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom, European University Institute) | Legal, financial and advocacy services and support for journalists in Europe | English |
| Library (CAMECO) | Guidelines, manuals, training materials, and textbooks on safety | English |
| Resource List (OnlineSOS) | Online (harassment-related) resources, emergency funds and information for journalists | English |
| Practical Help and Guidance for Freelancers & Newsrooms (ACOS Alliance) | Resources and initiatives relating to civil unrest, COVID-19, trauma management and support, insurance, industry standards for safety training, contracts, News Organisations Safety Self-assessment, and Freelance Journalist Safety Checklist | English |