The definition of limits for the safe and free exercise of the expression of thought is an essential issue for the functioning of democratic institutions. With the environment provided by the internet and the growth in the reach of social networks, issues of this nature generate even more conflicts across the country.
According to data collected by the Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (Abraji), 37.5% of the 367 attacks on journalists and professionals in the Brazilian press were directed at women. in the year 2020. The numbers show the difficulty faced by women journalists in their daily work in Brazil.
In order to broaden this current and necessary debate, the Tornavoz: defending suppressed female voices will provide assistance to four women journalists prosecuted for carrying out their activities. The initiative will help fund and define the defense strategy for these women, since many are unable to hire specialized legal counsel. The Philanthropic Fund is funded by UNESCO's Global Media Defense Fund (GMDF) and is financially managed by Sitawi.
?After more than 30 years working on freedom of expression cases and witnessing the rise of lawsuits against journalists and media outlets, I decided to join other women with extensive experience in the area so that those who cannot afford to hire a lawyer do not be helpless?, says the creator of Tornavoz, Taís Gasparian.
Tornavoz Executive Director Charlene Nagae says that “this project is very special for the institute, because the founders of Tornavoz are all women and we know that the difficulties faced by journalists in exercising their activity are much greater. We are very lucky to be able to count on the financial management of Sitawi, which allows us to concentrate efforts on project execution and on what our expertise is.?
O Tornavo seeks to enable specialized legal defense for those who suffer lawsuits due to the exercise of the manifestation of thought and expression. The initiative also promotes discussion and appreciation of these rights, participating in strategic processes and awareness actions. For Tornavoz, the processes involving freedom of expression and expression of thought are complex and require specific knowledge of different spheres of law.
Interested? Learn more at: https://tornavoz.org/.
