Deadline: September 6, 2026
Applications are open for the EJN Virtual Media Workshop on Mining, Environment and Human Rights Reporting in Africa 2026. Internews’ Earth Journalism Network (EJN) is hosting a three-day virtual media workshop from November 3-5, 2026, to strengthen the capacities of journalists in four African countries—Ghana, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Africa—to report on issues related to mining, the environment and human rights.
It is expected that by the end of the workshop, participants will have:
- Gained a better understanding of the environmental impacts and potential implications of different types of mining (including artisanal, small-scale, and large-scale industrial mining, as well as legal mining versus illegal mining);
- Increased knowledge regarding water, soil and air contamination – including an improved understanding of the science behind mining-related contamination, and how to go about finding and analyzing data for stories;
- Learned about land rights, community displacement and free, prior and informed consent (FPIC);
- Reviewed potential threats and risk mitigation strategies for ensuring physical safety and digital security while reporting on potentially sensitive issues, from mining sites and within conflict-affected areas;
- Learned about investigative tools and techniques for covering extractive industries.
The workshop sessions will be structured as part-presentation and part-discussion. Journalists will learn from researchers, environmental scientists, mining law experts, human rights advocates, civil society organizations and local communities working at the intersection of mining, environment and human rights in Africa.
Benefits
- To ensure these workshops are accessible, EJN will offer a limited number of communications stipends to those with an unstable internet connection in remote areas.
- Participants who attend all sessions will receive a certificate of completion from EJN and will also receive special consideration should they choose to apply for a story grant to produce journalistic content following the workshop.
Eligibility
- Applicants can be from Ghana, Uganda, DRC or South Africa.
- For the purposes of this training opportunity, they will only be accepting applications in English and French. Unfortunately, they do not have the capacity to consider applications in any other languages at this time. Applicants must have a working understanding of English or French to participate in and fully benefit from the workshop.
- Applications are open to journalists working in any medium (online, print, television, radio) as well as social media content creators with experience covering mining, environmental and/or human rights issues.
- They welcome applications from freelance reporters and staff from all types of media organizations – community-based, local, national and international. They especially encourage women, rural, Indigenous and early-career journalists to apply.
- Applicants are required to be transparent about the use of generative AI tools, if any, to revise their proposals. EJN reserves the right to disqualify applicants from consideration if they have been found to have engaged in unethical or improper professional conduct, including, but not limited to, submitting AI-generated content as their own.
Application
For more information, visit EJN Virtual Media Workshop.
