The Press Institute for Women in the Developing World
Encyclopedia
The Global Press Institute, formerly the Press Institute for Women in the Developing World, is an international nonprofit and citizen journalism
initiative. GPI was founded on the belief that journalism is an empowering
tool that can bring voice, strength and light to issues that are hidden and people who are oppressed. It is in this vein that GPI trains ordinary women in the developing world to serve as reporters and writers in their own communities. Journalists for GPI are dedicated to telling untold stories and empowering themselves and others through education and journalism. There are six core issues that most affect women in their communities and GPI reporters focus on: HIV/AIDS, domestic violence
, poverty
, reproductive rights
, political oppression
, and community development
.
Founded by Cristi Hegranes in March 2006, the organization is currently celebrating its fifth anniversary. The idea for creating the Global Press Institute came to Hegranes when she was working as a foreign correspondent in Nepal.
“Although I spoke Nepali and had an extensive network of local sources from years of work and travel in the region, I realized that no matter how familiar I was with Nepalese culture, I would always be an outsider in the society, a foreigner who would always face an unbridgeable gap in the social, historical and political context of reporting,” Hegrane said. “It seemed obvious that those persons most qualified to be reporting the news were the locals, not a woman from the West.”
During that trip, Hegranes met Pratima C., a woman living in a tiny, remote village in Eastern Nepal. Although Pratima had dropped out of school after the fourth grade, she was literate and highly respected in her local village. As the community matriarch and mediator, she had access to exceptional sources and fascinating stories about the region’s struggles with civil war, disease and crushing poverty.
“Women like Pratima were savvy, inspired and passionate about their communities and should be at the forefront of news reporting,” Hegranes quickly realized. “If women like Pratima were given the opportunity to be trained in the principles and practices of ethical journalism, the news they could produce would not only change their lives and that of their families, it would also change the world.”
With her mind set on making this happen, Hegranes set to work on establishing the Global Press Institute — originally the Press Institute for Women in the Developing World — when she returned to the United States.
Less than two years later the first training program began in Chiapas, Mexico during the fall of 2006. After completing the original, ethics-based training program, the first class of GPI reporters uncovered important stories of AIDS, clandestine abortion, poverty and community development. Having trained over 115 reporters in 24 countries, GPI continues to grow and reporters contribute to GPI's news wire daily.
Where Reporters Are Located
GPI currently has reporters operating in Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, India, Kashmir, Kenya, Kosovo, Liberia, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Romania, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Uganda, West Bank, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Why Women Become Global Press Institute Reporters
Despite a shared passion for bringing to light untold stories, GPI reporters around the world all have their own reasons for joining GPI. Testimonials from GPI reporters as well as more details about their backgrounds can be found at the GPI website.
Global Press Institute Partners
GPI has partnered with a number of organizations for increased readership. Content syndication partners include AlertNet, AllAfrica.com, Bitch Media, future-daily.com, GBM News, International Planned Parenthood Federation, MediaGlobal, Miller-McCune, NewsBank Inc., Newstex, The Jim Luce Stewardship Report, topix, Trust.org, TrustLaw, UPI, The Viewspaper, Republica, Women's ENews and Women News Network.
Program partners are READ Global, Association of Media Women in Kenya, 1 Economy Corporation, Free the Slaves, Global Girl Media, World Pulse and One Million Bones.
Media Decision Science, Pixetell and Greater Good Giving are GPI's business partners who generously offer in-kind services in support of the Global Press Institute's work around the world.
Funding for the Global Press Institute comes from a variety of sources, including foundation partners the Ford Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, McCormick Foundation, Open Society Institute, Open Meadows Foundation, The Boston Foundation, Ethics and Excellence Journalism Foundation, Google Grants, Channel Foundation, Mangrove Fund, Voice of Haiti and The James Jay Luce Foundation.
Global Press Institute Board
The GPI Board of Directors brings together seven leaders, experts and pioneers in the fields of journalism, new media, social enterprise, development and gender justice.
Cristi Hegranes, co-chair
Gabrielle Rapport, co-chair
Jonathan Hegranes, vice president
Ryan Blitstein, treasurer
Sibyl Masquelier, secretary
Karen Louise Boothe, development committee leader
Alicia DeLia, development committee leader
Read more: http://www.globalpressinstitute.org/content/our-board#ixzz1QaAE3J8S
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
initiative. GPI was founded on the belief that journalism is an empowering
Empowerment
Empowerment refers to increasing the spiritual, political, social, racial, educational, gender or economic strength of individuals and communities...
tool that can bring voice, strength and light to issues that are hidden and people who are oppressed. It is in this vein that GPI trains ordinary women in the developing world to serve as reporters and writers in their own communities. Journalists for GPI are dedicated to telling untold stories and empowering themselves and others through education and journalism. There are six core issues that most affect women in their communities and GPI reporters focus on: HIV/AIDS, domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
, poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
, reproductive rights
Reproductive rights
Reproductive rights are legal rights and freedoms relating to reproduction and reproductive health. The World Health Organization defines reproductive rights as follows:...
, political oppression
Oppression
Oppression is the exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner. It can also be defined as an act or instance of oppressing, the state of being oppressed, and the feeling of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically, by troubles, adverse conditions, and...
, and community development
Community development
Community development is a broad term applied to the practices and academic disciplines of civic leaders, activists, involved citizens and professionals to improve various aspects of local communities....
.
Founded by Cristi Hegranes in March 2006, the organization is currently celebrating its fifth anniversary. The idea for creating the Global Press Institute came to Hegranes when she was working as a foreign correspondent in Nepal.
“Although I spoke Nepali and had an extensive network of local sources from years of work and travel in the region, I realized that no matter how familiar I was with Nepalese culture, I would always be an outsider in the society, a foreigner who would always face an unbridgeable gap in the social, historical and political context of reporting,” Hegrane said. “It seemed obvious that those persons most qualified to be reporting the news were the locals, not a woman from the West.”
During that trip, Hegranes met Pratima C., a woman living in a tiny, remote village in Eastern Nepal. Although Pratima had dropped out of school after the fourth grade, she was literate and highly respected in her local village. As the community matriarch and mediator, she had access to exceptional sources and fascinating stories about the region’s struggles with civil war, disease and crushing poverty.
“Women like Pratima were savvy, inspired and passionate about their communities and should be at the forefront of news reporting,” Hegranes quickly realized. “If women like Pratima were given the opportunity to be trained in the principles and practices of ethical journalism, the news they could produce would not only change their lives and that of their families, it would also change the world.”
With her mind set on making this happen, Hegranes set to work on establishing the Global Press Institute — originally the Press Institute for Women in the Developing World — when she returned to the United States.
Less than two years later the first training program began in Chiapas, Mexico during the fall of 2006. After completing the original, ethics-based training program, the first class of GPI reporters uncovered important stories of AIDS, clandestine abortion, poverty and community development. Having trained over 115 reporters in 24 countries, GPI continues to grow and reporters contribute to GPI's news wire daily.
Where Reporters Are Located
GPI currently has reporters operating in Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, India, Kashmir, Kenya, Kosovo, Liberia, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Romania, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Uganda, West Bank, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Why Women Become Global Press Institute Reporters
Despite a shared passion for bringing to light untold stories, GPI reporters around the world all have their own reasons for joining GPI. Testimonials from GPI reporters as well as more details about their backgrounds can be found at the GPI website.
Global Press Institute Partners
GPI has partnered with a number of organizations for increased readership. Content syndication partners include AlertNet, AllAfrica.com, Bitch Media, future-daily.com, GBM News, International Planned Parenthood Federation, MediaGlobal, Miller-McCune, NewsBank Inc., Newstex, The Jim Luce Stewardship Report, topix, Trust.org, TrustLaw, UPI, The Viewspaper, Republica, Women's ENews and Women News Network.
Program partners are READ Global, Association of Media Women in Kenya, 1 Economy Corporation, Free the Slaves, Global Girl Media, World Pulse and One Million Bones.
Media Decision Science, Pixetell and Greater Good Giving are GPI's business partners who generously offer in-kind services in support of the Global Press Institute's work around the world.
Funding for the Global Press Institute comes from a variety of sources, including foundation partners the Ford Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, McCormick Foundation, Open Society Institute, Open Meadows Foundation, The Boston Foundation, Ethics and Excellence Journalism Foundation, Google Grants, Channel Foundation, Mangrove Fund, Voice of Haiti and The James Jay Luce Foundation.
Global Press Institute Board
The GPI Board of Directors brings together seven leaders, experts and pioneers in the fields of journalism, new media, social enterprise, development and gender justice.
Cristi Hegranes, co-chair
Gabrielle Rapport, co-chair
Jonathan Hegranes, vice president
Ryan Blitstein, treasurer
Sibyl Masquelier, secretary
Karen Louise Boothe, development committee leader
Alicia DeLia, development committee leader
Read more: http://www.globalpressinstitute.org/content/our-board#ixzz1QaAE3J8S