On International Women’s Day, March 8, the SafeJournalists Network reminds that the position of women journalists in the Western Balkans has not changed significantly compared to the previous year. The most frequent attacks occur on the internet, especially on social media, where women journalists are not only subjected to numerous insults based on their gender but also flooded with direct threats. Sexist insults, misogynistic comments and long-term targeted campaigns against women journalists occur in all countries of the Western Balkans. Experience has shown that the best defense is still the presentation of threats to the public and the support of newsrooms, journalist associations and society. The Association of Journalists of Kosovo also founded the Network of Journalists of Kosovo in order to strengthen support and advocacy for better protection of women journalists.
Despite women making up the majority of media workers, they still face disadvantage, lower pay and a lack of institutional support when dealing with gender-based violence and pressures in the workplace, and many struggle to balance demanding careers with family responsibilities.
Croatia has an opportunity to improve the position of journalists- it is obliged by the middle of 2026 to implement Directive (EU) 2023/970 on strengthening the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value for men and women through salary transparency and enforcement mechanisms.
Outside the system of appropriate protection, there are freelance women journalists who still do not have access to certain rights, such as maternity leave, due to the absence of an employment contract.
The SafeJournalists network will remain committed to monitoring, analyzing and reporting on violations of the rights of women journalists in order to protect their safety. Within the framework of the network, a regional research Analysis of violations of the rights of women journalists and media workers is conducted, which aims to collect relevant data and prepare a report for qualitative analysis of violations of the rights of women journalists and media workers. The reports will also contain an overview of the prevalence of gender-based violence in each country, as well as the impacts of gender-based violence on women journalists, with a special focus on technologies that facilitate violence against women, the role of media employers and media organizations in response to violence, protection mechanisms and the effectiveness and legal reform of institutions.
A free and independent media cannot exist without gender equality and safety for all media professionals. The SafeJournalists network calls on all competent institutions, media organizations, public policy makers and the public to take concrete measures that would contribute to greater safety of women journalists and improve their working conditions. We urge journalists, especially women, to report any threats they receive.
Women journalists in Albania face safety risks, particularly in the form of gender-based harassment, online abuse, and targeted smear campaigns. They are disproportionately subjected to sexist attacks, intimidation, and threats, often as a result of their reporting on sensitive issues such as corruption, organized crime, and gender rights. Online harassment is a major concern, with social media platforms frequently used to discredit and intimidate women journalists. Additionally, verbal abuse and threats of violence from public figures, political actors, and anonymous sources contribute to a hostile working environment, leading to self-censorship and psychological distress. Despite these challenges, there are no tailored protection mechanisms for women journalists in Albania, and support structures remain weak, limiting their ability to report such incidents safely. Strengthening institutional responses, legal protections, and digital security measures, along with ensuring access to specialized support services, is essential to creating a safer and more inclusive media environment for women journalists.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the number of women journalists who experienced gender-based violence or threats increased compared to previous years. The biggest problem is the impossibility of preventing and protecting against attacks through the institutional and legal system, due to the mismatch of legislation with international instruments. Online violence is not recognized in laws and is one of the most common forms of violence faced by women journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Verbal threats, misogynistic comments and violations of women’s human rights continue to come very often from people in positions of power. The legal system is slow and prosecution of assault claims takes a long time. For this reason, women journalists do not always report attacks.
Although there has been a decline in the number of attacks on women journalists in Croatia since the beginning of 2025, the situation is still unsatisfactory. It has been observed that threats directed at women are often more serious in nature compared to those directed at men. Additionally, in recent years, women have more frequently been victims of physical attacks. Regarding working conditions, women journalists in Croatia generally work under similar circumstances as their male colleagues. However, gender inequality in pay persists, especially in certain positions within the media sector where women journalists earn less than men. However, this trend is expected to be broken by mid-2026 at the latest, when the Republic of Croatia is obligated to implement the mentioned Directive. Atypical workers, such as freelance journalists, are particularly vulnerable, often lacking access to certain rights such as maternity leave due to the absence of employment contracts. This is part of a wider issue of job insecurity in the media sector.
The deterioration of the position of women journalists in newsrooms and the increasing risks they face during reporting is a particular concern in Kosovo. Over the past year, conditions for safe reporting have deteriorated, making women journalists more vulnerable to threats and attacks. That is why it is very important that women journalists report every threat they receive so that the competent authorities are able to provide them with protection and safety. In response to the growing threats to women journalists, the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) established the Network of Women Journalists of Kosovo to strengthen support and advocacy, and on Women’s Day it is also organizing a regional conference in Pristina.
Women in the media in Montenegro are still exposed to violence, discrimination and professional insecurity. Despite the fact that more women are employed in the media than their male colleagues, women journalists still face unequal opportunities, lower wages and a lack of institutional support when dealing with gender-based violence and pressures in the workplace. Many women journalists struggle to balance demanding careers with family responsibilities, while editorial and decision-making positions are still dominated by men. Concrete actions are needed in Montenegro in order to protect women journalists, ensure equal wages and opportunities and create a safer working environment.
Women journalists in North Macedonia face numerous challenges that reflect global trends but also have specific characteristics that make their professional work more difficult. Women journalists are often exposed to threats when reporting on political affairs, corruption, or human rights issues.Online platforms and social media have been used for aggressive attacks and digital persecution, making violence more difficult to monitor and punish. In many cases, the comments and threats they receive are of a highly sexist and derogatory nature, including attempts to silence them through discrediting them based on their gender. Although there have been increased efforts to address this problem, such as through initiatives to strengthen the safety of media workers and cooperation with international organizations, challenges remain. Political influences, in turn, play a significant role in generating pressure on women journalists, especially when they investigate issues of public interest that involve corruption and abuse of power. In such cases, women journalists are exposed to serious threats from politically motivated individuals and structures, which further worsens their professional security. The vulnerability of women journalists is also affected by their economic instability.
Women journalists in Serbia are under severe forms of attacks and pressure compared to their colleagues male journalists. The majority of attacks still occur on the Internet, and especially on social networks, where, in addition to direct threats, they are showered with numerous insults and intimidation based on gender, sexism and other misogynistic insults.
Threats on social networks are particularly severe because women journalists are most often exposed to long-term persecution. Unfortunately, the police and the prosecutor’s office do not recognize these attacks, or do not protect security adequately because they are under the enormous influence of government representatives who are the main initiators of violence in society. On televisions with national coverage, gender differences and violence against women are justified and encouraged, which in a certain part of the public creates a completely violent narrative against the equal rights of women in society, and is transmitted through the intimidation of women journalists. Because of this, fear prevails, women journalists withdraw and more often give up reporting cases. Women journalists continue to have a very difficult time dealing with procedural gaps in procedures before competent institutions that fail to protect their privacy and security. The best defense is still the presentation of threats to the public and supporting editorial offices, journalist associations and societies.
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