Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ) provides journalists in the MENA region with a supportive, connected and collaborative ecosystem that empowers, enlightens and provides reporters with state-of-the art training, coaching and networking. Founded in 2005, ARIJ has helped journalists adapt to changing technology, audience engagement, in a constantly shifting political journalism landscape – in a challenging environment of press freedom and access to information. ARIJ has also expanded to incubate a community of Arab fact checkers and the tools to support the protection of whistleblowers in the region.
Key to journalism’s resilience and growth amidst all these adversities and challenges is “the community of Arab Investigative Journalists” — ARIJ’s most distinctive feature. We reach out not only for new journalists and audiences each year through our training and collaborative investigative projects; but we also connect them with our growing community of “ARIJeans” — the alumni of our training programs, the editors, the trainers, the mentors, the fact checkers, the lawyers and the investigative reporters who exchange strategies, tips, and resources. The members of ARIJ’s community provide support, networking opportunities, and strive to help protect journalists working in difficult conditions. In an era of unprecedented challenges to press freedom, the journalists’ physical, digital, career, legal and mental wellbeing are often at stake, ARIJ’s community provides a vital lifeline, extending them some of the essential means of getting information out, while keeping them safe.
ARIJ’s community survival depends on the continued investment to meet MENA region’s unique challenge of speaking truth to power. ARIJ’s old and new partners and supporters help strengthen this critically important information accountability.